


A Proper Redemption

by ceridwen_2020



Series: The Three Jedi [1]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Attempted assassination, Ben Solo Lives, Bombs, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Deception, Explosions, F/F, F/M, Fighting with lightsabers and blasters, Flirting, Force Ghosts, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Imprisonment, Love Confessions, M/M, Manipulation, Minor Character Death, Murder, Self-Harm, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, Stormtrooper rebellion led by Finn, Suicide, Swearing, Violence, Wounds and wounds being healed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:33:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 59
Words: 315,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26855995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceridwen_2020/pseuds/ceridwen_2020
Summary: It has been a year since the Battle of Crait. The story of how Luke Skywalker defeated the dark warrior Kylo Ren with nothing more than a lightsaber has inspired hope across the galaxy. Giving fresh encouragement to those who feel oppressed under the rule of the First Order. There are uprisings. Defiance. Which the Resistance seek to capitalise upon. But then tragedy strikes. General Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan, passes away after a long illness, exacerbated by her growing feelings of guilt about the loss of her son, Ben Solo. The Resistance must find a way to continue the fight without their beloved leader and inspiration…
Relationships: Ben Solo & Tai, Finn & Jannah (Star Wars), Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Finn & Rose Tico, Kyp / Rendol, Lando Calrissian & Chewbacca, Poe Dameron & Finn & Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Prue/Cammie(ex-stormtroopers), Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rose/Master Codebreaker
Series: The Three Jedi [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994374
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. A ceremony on Naboo

The planet of Naboo shone brightly in the light of its nearby star, its serene beauty marred only by the ring of Star Destroyers surrounding it. From one of the larger ships orbiting the planet, a First Order command shuttle peeled away from its hangar bay and headed towards another ship that was approaching, one that had, just a few seconds previously, left hyperspace.  
It was the Statura, one of the larger cruisers belonging to the Resistance. Inside the ship, a door opened and two droids entered into the corridor that led away from the internal hangar bay, one a tall protocol droid, the other a short, stumpy astromech droid.  
The taller droid, Threepio, turned to his counterpart Artoo-Detoo. ‘Thank goodness we are coming up on Naboo. I can’t wait until we get back onto solid ground again. We really have been spoiled this last year.’  
R2-D2 bleeped animatedly.  
‘You’re right, there is the matter of the blockade to get through,’ continued the droid fussily as he shuffled towards the doors of the command centre, ‘I don’t know how General Dameron can trust the First Order to allow us safe passage. We still don’t even know who made contact with the Supreme Leader to enable Princess Leia’s memorial to take place.’ When Artoo bleeped him a lengthy response, Threepio turned to him in confusion. ‘Kylo Ren approached the Resistance? On whose authority do you have that?’ sniffed the taller droid, but as usual, R2-D2 refused to divulge his sources. ‘Well it could be true, I suppose,’ continued Threepio as he went into the busy command centre, ‘Master Solo was very fond of his mother when he was younger.’  
Artoo emitted a long stream of bleeps, ending on a mournful note.  
‘Yes, it was very sad what happened,’ admitted Threepio, looking around for General Dameron. It was difficult to see him at first as technicians and operatives raced around, shouting out information and keeping everyone informed about the activity of the First Order ships protecting the system.  
Stood calmly at the centre of the seeming chaos was General Poe Dameron. In the months following the Battle of Crait, he seemed to have aged several years. His dark hair revealed slightly more grey than before, and his handsome face was looking more lined and careworn. But he was more determined than ever to take on the responsibility of leadership that had been thrust upon him following their beloved General’s deteriorating health and eventual passing. Before she had gone, Leia had been very thorough in ensuring that Poe was equipped to follow in her footsteps, maintaining the legacy, and spirit, of rebellion that had begun with her own adopted father, Bail Organa. Poe was still not entirely sure that he had the right abilities, or enough experience, to keep the Resistance on its necessary trajectory, but he knew that he was backed by an experienced and committed team, their abilities honed and developed in the most difficult of circumstances.  
When Threepio’s location sensors found him, Poe was talking with Lieutenant Connix, keeping an eye on the movements of the command ship that was heading towards the hangar bay of the Statura. As one of the conditions of holding Leia’s memorial on Naboo, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren had insisted that a First Order officer would accompany them at all times. At first Poe had been reluctant, but he knew how much the memorial meant to the Resistance, as well as to the rest of the galaxy, and he had agreed on the condition that the chosen officer was not General Armitage Hux. Surprisingly. Kylo Ren had readily agreed, sending Admiral Frantis Griss as his representative.  
‘Threepio, what have you got for me?’ asked Poe as soon as he saw the golden droid coming towards him.  
‘Admiral Griss will be docking in approximately three minutes, General.’  
‘Excellent, excellent.’ Poe did not know much about Admiral Griss, which suggested that he was one of the less repressive officers of the First Order’s High Command. The information that Threepio had dug up through his spy network suggested that he was calm and considered in his approach to leadership. In charge of the situation on Naboo, it seemed logical that he would be the face of the First Order on this occasion. Poe turned back to Connix, who was monitoring activity around the blockade, making sure that the First Order kept to their promises. Poe knew that they were taking a huge risk but Kylo Ren’s message had been simple and heartfelt, and he had no reason to doubt that the Supreme Leader was being dishonest when he had agreed to hold his mother’s funeral on the home planet of Senator Padme Amidala. ‘Do I look the part? I don’t want this Admiral to out-dress me.’  
Surprised by the question, Connix turned round, taking Poe in. He was wearing a khaki shirt and tan pants, his usual Resistance-inspired attire. The only concession to formal wear was a short cape and his general’s sash that hung over his right shoulder. But Poe’s way of carrying himself elevated his clothes beyond the ordinary. ‘You look perfect, as always.’  
‘Leia wouldn’t have said that,’ he grinned, knowing that his former mentor would have had a sharp quip for the occasion, reminding him that he needed to keep on his toes, especially when dealing with the First Order.  
‘I wonder what she would have thought about us making a temporary truce with Kylo Ren?’ said Connix quietly. Like most of the women, she was wearing her hair in plaits wound around her head, in honour of the Alderaanian Princess.  
‘I think it would have tickled her,’ smiled Poe, smoothing down his shirt and preparing himself mentally to go and meet the First Order’s representative. ‘After all, she was convinced that Kylo learnt his lesson on Crait.’  
‘Let’s hope she was right,’ replied Connix, her eyes returning to the screen.  
The doors to the command centre opened again, and Finn came in, followed by Rose and Rey. All three of them were dressed in dark colours, befitting their continued mourning for their beloved Princess and leader. Rey in particular looked startlingly different, clad in dark grey pants and tunic, long sleeves covering her arms. She had finally eschewed her desert-type clothing, adopting a new, more mature wardrobe that reflected her growing status, and sobriety, as the last Jedi. Both her and Rose had their hair in plaits like Connix.  
‘Here’s my man!’ said Poe as soon as he saw Finn, a little too cheerfully considering the occasion.  
‘General Dameron,’ said Finn formally. He was in a subdued mood. Although it had been a while since Leia had passed, the preparations for the memorial had brought back all the sad memories of her final days, coming after a long period of illness that had been exacerbated by the continuing struggles with the First Order, and her own feelings of guilt over the turn of her son, Ben, to the dark side. This last point had almost become an obsession in the final days before she had slipped away one night, and she had spent a long time with Rey, talking over where she felt she had failed as a mother. Characteristically, Rey had said little to anyone about these conversations, but they knew that it had affected her deeply. As they all had been.  
‘We’re ready when you are,’ said Rose, wanting to get the whole thing over and done with. She was nervous about the presence of the First Order. If they were making a mistake trusting Kylo Ren, it would be a costly one.  
‘Great,’ said Poe, smoothing down his shirt, ‘let’s go meet the Admiral.’

It was late evening when the funeral cortege began its long journey through the streets of Theed, the city lit up with thousands of lights in memory of Leia Organa Solo, Princess and General, Rebellion hero and survivor of Alderaan. The closed memorial casket, fashioned from dark wood and elaborately carved with a striking image of the Princess, moved slowly as it was pulled by huge four-legged orbachs, their horns decorated with blue and silver ribbons of mourning. It was a cold night, but the streets were thronged with citizens from Naboo, and further beyond, who had been allowed by the First Order to pay their last respects. Leia had been loved by many across the galaxy, reflected in the hundreds of mourners crammed into Theed’s ancient streets and thoroughfares; some were hanging out of windows or standing on balconies, some watched from boats in the city’s many waterways, others sat precariously on steep roofs, craning their heads to get a glimpse of the procession. Few knew that the casket itself was empty; as with her father and her brother, Leia’s body had transformed into the Force at the time of her passing. Those who had been closest to her in her final days felt some comfort that after a long period of declining health, she would finally be reunited with Luke, her beloved husband, Han, and adopted family in the Netherworld.  
Behind the casket walked the representatives of the Resistance, Poe Dameron, Finn, Rey, and Rose Tico, accompanied by Admiral Griss, a stern-looking but fair man who was flanked by elite stormtroopers and more First Order officers. For the Resistance leaders, the ceremony was marred by the presence of hundreds of First Order stormtroopers, stationed at regular intervals along the casket’s journey. But as Griss had regretfully explained when Poe asked if the show of military force was absolutely necessary, Naboo was in a state of unrest following an uprising led by the Gungans, and the First Order’s leader, Kylo Ren, did not want any reprise of the conflict during his mother’s memorial. When Poe had enquired about the Supreme Leader’s attendance, Griss confirmed that whilst their leader was in mourning for his mother’s untimely death, he had declined to attend the ceremony itself.  
Behind the First Order contingent walked the young Queen of Naboo and her counsellors, dressed in the robes of state mourning. Growing up, Queen Melidana had been inspired by the stories of Leia, and her mother Padme, two strong women who had been instrumental in the recent history of the galaxy. Despite the tragedy that both had experienced in their lives, they had remained hopeful that peace and goodness would prevail. A message that the young Queen, mindful of the occupation of her planet by the First Order, clung to in these dark times. Finally, the procession was completed by the surviving members of Leia’s family on Naboo; Pooja and Ryoo Naberrie, her older cousins, and their wider family.  
Keeping her head bowed out of respect, Rey scanned the crowds furtively for any sign of the First Order’s leader. Although Griss had said he would not come, she could feel his presence keenly in the Force and she wondered what it meant.

Weeks ago, one quiet morning, Rey had gone deep into the jungles of Ajan Kloss, telling Finn that she was going out there to train. In reality, she wanted to see if she could still connect with Ben. Finding a peaceful clearing, she closed her eyes and emptied her mind, freeing it of all worry and constraint. That was easier said than done; she was anxious about speaking to Ben, the only name she would accept for him now. Would he want to speak to her?  
After his disaster on Crait, Rey had made no attempt to open up contact with the new Supreme Leader for some time. The last time she had seen him was when she had been helping Resistance survivors off the planet into the Falcon. He had been kneeling somewhere, looking up at her, his eyes haunted, even pleading. Did he regret what he had done? She had felt many emotions disrupting the Force energy around him in that moment. Anger and frustration, but also failure and sorrow. Disappointment had made her turn away, as well as the fear that he had been manipulating her all along, as Snoke had implied. She had wanted him to turn back to the light. In defiance of Snoke, he had saved her life and they had fought together. Yet in the aftermath he had surprised her by choosing another path, one that would have obliterated everything she had come to care about, except for him. Since then, she had kept her distance, unable to face the conflicting feelings that Ben’s presence in the Force represented to her. But he was still there, an unresolved problem, nagging away at her. Sometimes she felt a strange pull at the edges of her consciousness when she was alone, as if someone was calling to her. But even though she had always resisted it, she had not been able to forget about Ben either, as if the Force had decided that he was integral to her destiny. And in a strange way he was. He had opened her up to the Force, activating the power and strength that she did not even know lay inside her. Even though it was hard to admit, he had been an influence on her, a model of what a Force user could be. But he had also shown her the corruption of the dark side. On Ahch-To, she was convinced that Ben had reached out to her, had shown her that beneath its malevolent influence, he was as lonely and confused as she was. And she clung to that hope.  
Now, following Leia’s passing into the Force, she was actively choosing to reach out to him. Would he respond to her call? She did not know. Sitting down on the jungle floor, she crossed her legs and closed her eyes. Breathing deeply, she reached out into the mysterious energy field of the Force. Allowing her mind to roam free, flitting around the galaxy, searching for the traces of Ben’s presence. It took her a long time but eventually she found it, a maelstrom of darkness, almost electric with anger and conflict, yet still shot through with faint traces of light, flickers that became stronger as she grasped onto them with her mind.  
The connection was made and she felt him close by. Opening her eyes, she saw Ben standing in front of her, a spectre of darkness in the otherwise lively jungle. Feelings of attraction and revulsion washed over her as they stared at each other. He looked terrible, as if the loss of his mother had broken him further. His eyes were rimmed with red, devoid of all emotion except unbearable pain. Dark wavy hair hung listlessly to his shoulders, greasy and unkempt. His face was pale and blotchy, the scar she had given him more livid than ever. There were several bruises on his face and she wondered how he had got them considering that Snoke was long dead. Was it strange that she even cared?  
Upon seeing her, conflicting emotions flittered through Ben’s mind. After feeling nothing but despair since he had sensed his mother’s passing through the Force, it was almost a relief to feel something new. But he was suspicious as to why she had initiated their connection. Since Crait, she had shown no interest in him and he had given up thinking that their connection was anything important or purposeful. Once it had seemed like destiny, but now it seemed nothing more than a distraction from his true purpose. To continue the advance of the First Order. It was the only thing he had left.  
They stared at each other in silence. Getting to her feet, Rey did not know how to start a conversation with him and Ben did not seem to be in a fit state to start one with her. What could she say that would possibly be meaningful? Instead, she launched straight into the reason why she had contacted him. ‘We want to hold a memorial for Leia on Naboo.’  
‘Who’s we?’  
‘The Resistance.’  
She was just like his mother, he reflected irritably, the cause was all she cared about. He considered her request for a moment, bristling slightly from her commanding tone. ‘It’s under occupation.’  
‘Yes,’ said Rey patiently, ‘that’s why we need your permission.’  
‘There would need to be a military escort.’  
It was a moment before Rey realised that he had agreed to her request. ‘If we must.’  
‘It will be difficult to get Hux to agree to it,’ he mused, ‘I can’t promise that he won’t try to arrest you once it’s over.’  
‘You could grant us safe passage,’ she heard herself saying.  
He was bemused by her confidence. ‘I’ll do my best.’  
‘But you’re Supreme Leader,’ she countered. Perhaps his leadership had not been accepted as readily by the High Command as she might have expected. ’What does he know?’  
‘He has his suspicions,’ Ben muttered crossly, knowing what she referred to. He had been careful to gather all the evidence, including the footage from the damaged cameras in Snoke’s elevator which showed the conversation between him and Rey prior to the events that had led to Snoke’s demise. Incriminating evidence that would suggest to any hostile listener that he had conspired with the scavenger to murder Snoke, rather than the impulsive decision it had been at the time. For sentimental reasons, though, he had been unable to make himself destroy it. Now he was reminded that it was further evidence of his weakness towards the light. The same weakness that was haunting him now.  
‘Will you come?’  
‘To what?’ Her question distracted him from his ruminations.  
‘The memorial?’  
‘No.’ It would be too painful. All he wanted to do now was forget.  
‘I won’t let you forget,’ said Rey quietly, irritated that he could even contemplate it.  
‘Why? What’s it to you?’ Her closeness to his mother annoyed him. Ever since he had destroyed Luke’s temple, his mother had, as far as he knew, made no effort to reach out to him, or even contact him. Deep in his heart, he knew why, but it still angered him. ‘She was only too happy to send me away.’  
Rey blinked back tears, his pain, loneliness and anger affecting her deeply through their bond. ‘You’re wrong,’ she hissed at him. ‘The last thing Leia said was that she regretted sending you to Luke. She wanted to see you, to… to hold you. One last time.’  
Managing to stay calm, Ben shook his head. ‘She was quick enough to replace me with Poe Dameron… and you.’  
‘That’s not true!’ She was struggling to get the words out, her tears coming thick and fast as she was caught up in her emotions. It was bringing back her memories of Leia’s last moments, moments that were still too painful. ‘She tried to reach out to you but you ignored her!’  
‘I ignored her?’ he snorted with derision. ‘She didn’t once come to me after what happened with Luke! Not once!’  
‘Why are you surprised?’ she shot back, wiping her nose on her sleeve. ‘When Han reached out to you, you killed him!’  
‘That’s different!’ he snapped at her, starting to lose his cool.  
‘No it’s not!’  
‘What would you know!’ He was beginning to think that responding to her call was a mistake.  
‘You think you’re the only one suffering!’ she spat at him, her anger and frustration with him becoming ferocious in its intensity. She was so angry that she started to hit him, hard, on his arms and his chest. The Force around them hissed and crackled like lightning, but still she hit him whilst he did nothing but stand there, taking the brunt of her blows. She was so angry that she did not even notice that he had not even attempted to stop her, her words coming out in a breathless gasp. ‘But you’re not the only one! You’re… you’re not!’  
Shocked by the strength of her emotions, Ben was soon crying too, belatedly realising that the pain he had caused his family had repercussions that, in his selfish pursuit of power, he had not anticipated. Eventually her anger started to work itself out, and her strikes on his torso became slower and weaker until she was sobbing freely, her arms held loosely against his chest. Not knowing what to do, he put his hands on her shoulders, thinking it might calm her. Rey flinched but she did not move or express displeasure and they stood like that together for a long while, both crying, feeling a strong, if warped, sense of unity though their loss of Leia.  
‘You loved her, didn’t you?’ Ben said softly, watching her closely as her tears started to subside.  
Wiping her eyes, Rey nodded. ‘Whatever you think, she loved you too.’ She stared back at him for a moment, wondering what terrible influence had twisted his mind against his family.  
Slowly, he let go of her and, after taking off his glove, he held out his hand to her, ‘Can you show me?’  
Willingly, Rey gave him her hand, her fingers clasping tightly around his. Immediately, both of them were jolted again by the strength of their connection in the Force. Even though they were separated across the galaxy, feelings coursed through them with such intensity that they both felt shaken.  
Forcing herself to concentrate, Rey kept her eyes on Ben, watching his emotions as she shared with him the memory of Leia’s final moments. Finally, she could see that he understood the strength of his mother’s love for him, despite all that he had done. She could feel his self-loathing and shame, and he tried to let go of her hand but she clung to him, digging her nails tightly into his skin. ‘She loved you,’ Rey said through gritted teeth, still angry at him, and angry at herself for caring. ’It’s more than you deserve.’  
‘I know.’ Finally she let go of his hand, but he did not put his glove back on. Rey’s presence had unsettled him. Without her, he had been confined in the bubble of the First Order, concentrating on maintaining order in an increasingly incendiary situation, as well as other, more personal, pursuits that had taken all his energy. Now she reminded him that his actions had repercussions that he could no longer ignore.  
‘You could still come back. To the light,’ said Rey, stubbornly clinging to the notion that with his support, with two Jedi warriors, the Resistance would triumph.  
‘For the Resistance?’ Something deeply buried stirred in his heart; she felt more for him than she would admit, he could feel it. His mind flashed back to the moment on the Supremacy before it had exploded, when he had offered her a different future. She had been wavering, her hand getting closer and closer to his, until abruptly, her mind changed and she had tried to snatch back the lightsaber instead. But she had wanted to take his hand. He couldn’t forget it. ‘Or for you?’  
‘For me?’ Abruptly, Rey closed off the connection. She had shared too much.

The Theed Funeral Temple was in the heart of the city, a vast, ornate structure surrounded by a beautiful garden that had been built hundreds of years before, at the height of the Old Republic. It had been a period of great advancement in learning, philosophy and understanding of the cosmos, led by the growing Jedi Order, known as the ‘Golden Age’ on Naboo. The Memorial Gardens were where Leia’s memorial would stand for perpetuity, next to that of Padme Naberrie, the mother she had known only briefly, preserved as a memory in the Force.  
Sat on the side of the aisle next to Finn, Rey was immersed in the ceremony, which followed the traditional Nabooian preparation for burial and remembrance. It involved singing, strange-smelling incense and elaborate clothing for the officiating priests, a strict number of actions and entreaties to the Gods to ensure Leia’s safe passage to the Netherworld. Although it was an experience, it all seemed rather overblown to Rey, intended for the spectators rather than for the person being remembered. The Cosmic Force had accepted Leia and she took comfort in knowing that her believed mentor and friend would already be safe in its embrace. Yet, there was still much unprocessed trauma in Rey’s heart. Having barely known her mother, she had taken Leia’s love and concern for her as the closest thing to having one. For the time that she had been helping the Resistance, Leia had always been more than a mentor, always ready to comfort her, and to help her through the minefield of emotions that being Force sensitive had opened up. Including her fears of the dark side. Leia was the only person that she had confided in about her connection to Ben, trusting that Leia, more than anyone except perhaps Luke, knew what it meant to love someone who had fallen to the dark side. And although Leia had never trained as a Jedi, her nascent Force powers, and the experience that she had had with Ben, had been enough for her to understand what Rey was going through. Now Rey had lost her calm, courageous presence and she was devastated.  
Beside her, Finn could see that Rey was upset but he could also feel it. Ever since the Battle of Crait, when, with Rose’s help, he had finally let go of his fears about his ability to fight back against the First Order, he had started to feel different in himself, and in his response to his environment. He had realised that he had new, heightened perceptions. He could sense how people felt, sometimes he could even guess what they were going to say before they said it. Whilst he could not see into people’s minds, he sometimes could, if he concentrated, sense what they thought about something. These perceptions were strongest with those who were already known to be Force sensitive, Rey and Leia in particular. But mostly Rey. Finn had not had a chance to speak to Rey about it but he was finding things out about her that he’d had no idea about before. Now he could sense her despair, slight traces of anger too, which unnerved him. What would she have to be angry about?  
Listening to the eulogy, Rey picked up traces of a new presence in the temple. It was familiar, the tumult of darkness shot through with light. Surreptitiously turning around, she saw that a cloaked figure had come in and was standing towards the back of the temple, hidden within a crowd of people who had not been able to find seats and were packed in around the doorway. The hood of the cloak was drawn up over their face but Rey knew that it was Ben. He had come after all.  
‘What is it?’ Finn saw her looking towards the door.  
‘I need some fresh air,’ stammered Rey, embarrassed that her lack of attention had been noticed.  
Reaching over, Finn took her hand. ‘It’s hard for you, isn’t it.’  
‘Quiet, you two,’ whispered Poe from the other side of Finn. ‘The ceremony requires strict silence, you’ll get us thrown out.’  
As Finn returned to watching the spectacle, Rey tried to do the same but she could not focus on anything except Ben. His feelings were so strong in the Force that they swamped her; she could feel his sadness, mingled with self-loathing and regret as if they were her own. Why was she so focused on him? The answer to that was, she did not know. But the desire to see him, to speak to him, nagged away at her.  
I’ll meet you outside.  
Ben’s voice, soft and insistent, intruded into her thoughts, startling her. But she found herself replying, Yes.  
As the eulogy finally ended, and the music and singing began - in celebration of Leia’s life - Rey realised that Ben had left the temple. Blaming her nausea, she whispered her excuses to Finn and hurried out into the dark night. It took a while for her eyes to adjust, the lights burning in the temple had been intense. Then, she saw a cloaked figure heading down one of the narrower streets that ran alongside the palace. Determined, she set off after him knowing that with his longer legs, he would set a fast pace. Upon reaching the entrance to the alleyway, she saw that Ben was standing at the far end, waiting for her. Slowing down, she walked towards him past ancient stone buildings, their worn and faded displays advertising their wares and businesses above large windows, now covered in ornate metal shutters for the night. The sounds of the city faded into the background, and all she could hear was the nervous beating of her heart.  
‘I thought you weren’t coming,’ she said when she finally reached him. He looked better than when she had seen him through their Force connection. The bruises were gone, and the pain in his eyes had been replaced with calm detachment.  
‘Neither did I.’ He was trying to understand the strange attraction they had to each other. He could feel her anger and disappointment with him, although there was a glimmer of hope underneath it all. Clearly she was still conflicted about his place in her story.  
‘What changed your mind?’  
He evaded the question, keeping his mind focused on the ceremony. ‘Did it bring you peace?’  
‘Not really. And neither for you.’  
‘Nothing will.’  
As the pain returned to his eyes, it was then that she had a realisation. With his mother gone, Ben might never return to the light. The darkness around him seemed to have grown and whilst the faint traces of light were still there, that was all they were. Faint. Perhaps it had always been that way and she had been seeing things all wrong, as Luke had implied. With Ben, she had seen what she wanted to see.  
For Ben, her thoughts were confirmation that, deep down, she did not think he was worth saving. Just like his family.  
As they stared at each other, Rey heard a voice inside her head say very clearly, End it. Now.  
‘That wasn’t you.’ Ben regarded her curiously. ‘Have you felt it too?’  
‘Felt what?’  
‘The disturbance in the Force.’  
She was silent, trying to gather together her scattered thoughts. There had been moments of uncertainty during meditation, times when she had tried to tap into the Living Force and it had been unsettled, discordant. Almost in pain. The feeling that something was wrong. ‘You mean the darkness?’  
He nodded. ’It’s growing.’  
‘Yes.’ It was affecting her as much as it affected him. ‘What can we do?’  
He almost smiled at her assumption that they could work it out together. ‘I mean to find its source.’  
Another feeling nagged at her. Danger was approaching. ‘I have to go.’  
A sudden noise distracted them both. They glanced up at the same time to see several stormtrooper transports and a fleet of TIE fighters screeching across the dark sky, heading for the palace.  
Incensed by his seeming betrayal, Rey ignited her lightsaber and pointed it at Ben. ’You promised!’  
‘It’s not me,’ he insisted, remaining calm in the face of her aggression. Part of him was intrigued to see how far she would go.  
‘Who is it then?’ she demanded through gritted teeth.  
‘I told you Hux would find a way to defy my orders.’ Reaching into his cloak, aware that his grandfather’s lightsaber was only inches away from his chest, he spoke into a comlink. ‘General?’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader?’ Even over the tiny speaker, Hux did not sound pleased.  
‘Why have you sent reinforcements?’ Kylo demanded. ‘There’s no trouble here.’  
‘Not on the ground,’ came Hux’s voice, his clipped tones filled with loathing. ‘But intelligence informs me that whilst the Resistance leaders have been paying their respects to your late mother, members of their pitiful band have been meeting with the Queen’s Council to plot the downfall of the First Order.’  
‘Did you know about this?’ Ben asked Rey. Finally she had put her lightsaber away.  
‘No.’ It was the truth. Perhaps because she had been so upset about Leia’s death, Poe and Finn had not thought to tell her their plans. It annoyed her though, they should have known that the promise of a safe passage was built on very slim foundations.  
‘Who are you speaking to?’ demanded Hux suspiciously.  
‘My own intelligence,’ Kylo snapped back. He turned off the comlink. ‘Do your friends know about our connection?’ he asked Rey as they started to walk back to the main square.  
‘No.’  
‘You haven’t told them?’ He frowned at her. ‘Why?’  
‘There’s not been a good time.’  
‘Perhaps you want to keep it for yourself?’ he suggested, wondering if she was as close to her friends as he had thought.  
‘No.’ He had rattled her, and he knew it. ‘They wouldn’t understand.’  
‘Of course they wouldn’t,’ he said contemptuously. How could any non-Force users understand what it meant to have their powers. He had struggled with that knowledge his whole life.  
They walked the rest of the way in silence, Rey embarrassed about her quickness to attack him, and Ben upset that she was all too ready to think the worst of him. Okay, so he had been an idiot on Crait but he had learnt from his mistakes. Unlike Hux and the rest of the First Order, he had seen the folly of brutal military crackdowns, the lack of rational thinking that came with having too much firepower at one’s disposal. If he was going to drag the First Order into a more enlightened phase, then he would have to stop them thinking with their weapons. But it occurred to him that Rey was the same. Wasn’t she always the one to shoot first? Perhaps that was suitable for a scavenger on a hostile planet, or for a quick-witted smuggler like his father, but not for a powerful galactic government.  
In the main square, the transports had already landed outside the palace and troops were spilling out in their droves onto the paved square, lining up in orderly formation. The military might of the First Order looked incongruous against the peaceful and elegant streets of Theed, and many of the city’s inhabitants could be seen staring out of their windows, wondering what was going on.  
Seeing Hux exiting the command ship, Rey shrank back behind Ben, ‘What are you going to do?’  
‘Call them off,’ he said, looking at her. Did she think he was going to allow her friends to be slaughtered? Perhaps she did. ‘I keep my word.’  
Relief flooded through her. ‘Thank you.’  
‘Don’t let Hux see you,’ he warned as he walked away.  
Shrinking further into the shadows, Rey watched as Ben strode over towards General Hux, his cape billowing out behind him. Immediately when the General saw him, his face changed into one of apology and regret, even if it was feigned; Rey noticed that the sentiments did little to change the flinty hardness in Hux’s eyes.  
As the two men talked, Rey was both intrigued and appalled by the power that Ben wielded as Kylo Ren, not only in terms of resources but also over inferiors like Hux. He had not wanted to be Supreme Leader, he had made that clear to her after they had defeated Snoke’s guards together. He had wanted to leave the First Order behind, and for her to join with him. Two powerful Force users, leading the galaxy. But here he was, fulfilling the role as if he had been born to it. Perhaps he had grown into it, as she would grow into being a Jedi. But she could not help feeling that they had both fallen into roles that did not entirely fit their temperaments - or their needs.  
Keeping close to the shadows cast by the buildings surrounding the square, using the Force to obscure her presence there, Rey headed back towards the temple. The ceremony was still going on inside and, exhausted after her experience with Ben, she sat down on a low wall that ran around the flowerbeds outside. From there she could watch the goings on in the square clearly. After a short speech from Kylo Ren, the stormtroopers began to file back into the transports, their presence no longer needed. The TIE fighters disappeared too, back to the blockade of capital ships surrounding the planet, clearly visible in the night sky. As Hux returned to the command ship, wrapped up warmly in his great woollen coat, Ben stood watching him, completely still, his arms folded behind his back as if he was meditating. Rey could not help gazing at him, she felt the pull of their connection even as she tried to reject it. What do you want? she asked the Force in despair. Why would you connect me with my enemy?  
A voice whispered in her ear. To bring balance.  
She gasped as if water had been thrown in her face but it was a different voice from before. A thought struck her. Perhaps Kylo Ren wasn’t her enemy at all. Perhaps it was the darkness inside him, what Leia believed to be the legacy of Anakin’s fall. But if she was powerful light, did that mean that she had to find balance too? To go further into the dark? She shuddered with the thought.  
She tried asking the voice, Who are you? But there was no reply.  
Sighing, she noticed that Ben had left the square, disappearing into the dark streets of Theed. Already his presence in the Force was diminishing and she felt calmer. In the next moment, the temple doors opened and the crowd inside began to file out now that the ceremony had ended. Eventually, Finn and Poe emerged from the temple to find Rey waiting for them.  
‘Feeling better?’ Finn watched her keenly as she stood up, concerned about her wellbeing.  
‘Not really,’ she said, her feelings of confusion about their plans on Naboo returning. She couldn’t directly ask them about the reconnaissance mission inside the palace, because then she would have to tell them how she knew about it. Secrets were piling upon secrets and she did not like it.  
‘Did you see what was going on?’ asked Poe. From inside the temple, he and Finn had heard the noise of the ships overhead but had not been able to leave the ceremony. It would have been the height of poor manners, and Poe was keen to develop their links with Naboo where a significant number of citizens chafed under the First Order occupation.  
‘The First Order are getting twitchy,’ said Rey quietly, as Chewbacca, Rose and Connix came to join them. It had not escaped her notice that Admiral Griss was standing nearby, but, fortunately, he was talking to one of his officers. She pointed to the Star Destroyer looming over the city. ‘They sent out some TIES not that long ago.’  
‘What for?’ Poe looked at Finn in alarm. They had taken a great risk in getting some of their operatives into Theed palace, and if the First Order found out about it, the thin veneer of civility would quickly dissipate.  
‘I don’t know,’ pretended Rey, ‘they circled around and then returned to the ship.’  
‘Right,’ said Poe, glancing back at Finn, who shrugged. ‘It’s time to leave. We don’t want to outstay our welcome, do we?’ Assuming an air of authority, Poe went over to Admiral Griss. ‘Please thank the Supreme Leader for a superb ceremony. I think Leia would have enjoyed it, if she were here.’  
‘I’ll be sure to tell him that,’ said Griss reservedly, not sure what the Supreme Leader actually thought about his mother. It had been a great surprise to the High Command when the truth about Kylo Ren’s parentage had come to light because of Leia’s death, and Griss could not help wondering why Snoke had kept it hidden. Only Hux had known, and, unbeknownst to the rest of the First Order, that had been part of Snoke’s plan to set the two young men against each other from the beginning.  
As the Resistance leaders headed back to the Statura, Rey noticed that Poe surreptitiously sent Connix over towards the palace, perhaps to warn the infiltrators that it was time to leave. Her heart sank. What was he hiding from her. And why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story began as a way to process the Rise of Skywalker, which I disagreed with on many levels. Mostly I wanted to see a more realistic approach to how the Resistance might defeat the First Order without resorting to killing all the brainwashed stormtroopers, but also if Kylo Ren actually learnt from his mistakes on Crait and decided to be a different Supreme Leader to Snoke and Hux. I've not erased Rose and Finn is both Force sensitive and leads a stormtrooper rebellion.
> 
> I'm not entirely happy with it but this is the best I can do for the time being - and I hope you enjoy it. I've rated it mature because the relationships get a little steamy towards the later chapters, and because several major characters die in violent ways as a result of war. There is also an implied rape but its very briefly mentioned. The child abuse is implied between Kylo Ren and Snoke, and there is also some implied assault / attempted sexual assault in Rey's past.


	2. The Resistance on Ajan Kloss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn what has happened to the Resistance after the Battle of Crait and what they intend to do against the growing might of the First Order. Rey is sent on a mission, and Finn tells her something important.

Since the Battle of Crait, the Resistance had been hiding out on Ajan Kloss, a temperate planet of dense, lush jungles, inhabited by a great diversity of wildlife. Hidden in the Outer Rim, the system had largely been overlooked by the Empire and the First Order, and had been a hideout for the Rebel Alliance in the early days of the Empire. Remains of ancient temples and buildings had been converted into a rough and ready headquarters into which the jungle readily intruded. Yet the planet had a peaceful atmosphere that was suited to the Resistance’s purpose, building up their support and resources for the coming fight against the First Order. When that fight would be, and where, was the most significant unknown that Leia’s ragtag band had had to come to terms with.  
Under the leadership of Kylo Ren, many had feared that the First Order would become even more brutal, even more repressive, particularly after his display on Crait. However, this had not come to pass, much to Leia’s relief. Aside from the usual skirmishes and dogfights in the pursuit of intelligence, Kylo had largely left the Resistance alone. His plans, from what they could gather from their network of spies and informants scattered across the galaxy, seemed to be focused on consolidating his - rather shaky - hold on the sprawling organisation of the First Order, as well as improving loyalty in its occupied territories through (and this was the astonishing part) development programmes, fairer policies around trade, cracking down on the criminal elements that had flourished under the negligent eyes of the Empire and the Republic, and trying out limited attempts at democracy. If this seemed strange to most, if not all, of the Resistance command team, Leia had gently reminded them that Ben was her son. Whether consciously or not, he had absorbed ideas about leadership from herself, from Han, and from Luke, and was now putting them into practice.  
‘So, he’s learning from his mistakes?’ Poe had said to her incredulously, and Leia had nodded.   
‘Don’t forget, he’s very much like his father,’ she said fondly, ‘Han realised eventually that pleasing himself did not make for a fulfilling life. Although, like Han, I doubt Ben would ever admit it.’  
‘Gah, that makes him even more dangerous,’ sighed Poe. A brutal, oppressive leader like Snoke was much easier to deal with than someone attempting to make the First Order more accountable. Softer approaches were at odds with the Resistance’s plans to break into the Centrist worlds,such as Kuat, Orinda, Arkansis, Coruscant, Comra, Hevurion and Riosa. These planets had always been supportive of the First Order and had actively encouraged their terrible and meteoric rise onto the galactic stage. And, so far, the Resistance had found it impossible to make any inroads.  
‘Perhaps,’ said Leia, clutching onto her cane as another wave of pain flooded through her, the reminder of her short sojourn into the vacuum of space. Drugs were keeping the worst of the pain at bay but she had noticed that she was becoming more and more tolerant of them. Soon the doses would be too high… and then what? Needless to say, she kept this information from her younger protege. ‘But it might make him more amenable to peaceful terms eventually. We just have to hold on and see what the future brings.’ Yet despite her desire to reconcile with her son, repeated attempts at establishing contact with him had not led to any further thawing of the antipathy between the First Order and the Resistance.  
With Leia’s encouragement, Rey had used her year of enforced stability to continue her Jedi training, using the books that she had taken from Ahch-To, and to repair Anakin’s lightsaber. It had taken her a long time to heal the crystal, which had been torn in two during the struggle between her and Ben in Snoke’s throne room. At the time, Rey had seen it as a sign of Ben’s obstinacy and inability to let go of the dark side, but after much contemplation, she had realised the struggle was far more complex. On Illum - Starkiller base - the lightsaber had called to her during the fateful fight with Ben but in the throne room it had not called to either of them. Instead, the weapon had spilt itself in half, as if annoyed by their inability to put their differences behind them. It suggested that they were equals now, both heirs of Skywalker’s power but also his place in the Force - the last Jedi. What had the lightsaber demonstrated except for the need for them to work together? That was the hardest thing for Rey to accept. She was connected with Ben, she felt drawn to him. And, albeit grudgingly at times, she felt compassion for him. He was lonely like she was, confused about his powers and his place in the wider scheme of the Force. But whilst he remained willingly in the dark she could not stand him. It was the strangest feeling.  
Until the time of her passing, Leia had helped her as much as she could. Despite her potential, she had decided not to train in the Force, not to follow the Jedi path. For it was a life of seclusion and sacrifice, and she had already sacrificed too much in her fight against the Empire.  
‘I wanted love, and I wanted to be loved,’ she had explained to Rey one quiet day, as they sat together on the low branches of a tree not far from the base, enjoying the sounds and sights of the jungle. ‘The Jedi feel love, of course they do, but their love is broad, for the whole of life, for the galaxy, for the Force. Not for one specific person.’  
‘Like you felt for Han?’ Rey was shy talking about such matters but she forced herself to open up to Leia. Deprived of love for most of her life, she wanted to know what it felt like, to love, and to be loved.  
‘Yes,’ Leia smiled, remembering. ‘I loved him more than anything. Well, until Ben came along.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I wish you could have seen him, Rey, when he was small. He was so beautiful, so alive with the Force. I know every mother says that about her child but… he really was something special.’ Opening her eyes, Leia sighed heavily. ‘I lost everything when he turned.’  
‘He could still come back.’ Rey wanted to be positive for Leia’s sake, and despite what had happened between her and Ben, she wanted to believe it too. ‘Like you told me, Luke said…’   
‘No one’s ever really gone,’ Leia finished for her. ‘I’d like to think that,’ she continued, gazing at Rey with keen insight. ‘Tell me more about your connection with Ben.’  
‘I can’t explain it,’ she began, searching for the right words. ‘We can see each other across space. Even touch.’ She remembered the moment on Ahch-To when their hands had touched, the feelings and visions it had provoked in her. ‘Sometimes, I can see into his mind and he can see into mine.’  
Leia absorbed the information, ‘Do you think he feels regret about what’s happened?’  
‘Yes.’ She had felt it before, when they had talked. When he had agreed with her that he was a monster. ‘He hates himself, what he’s had to do. Snoke made him think that his true path was the dark side.’  
Leia nodded, she had seen for herself on Crait the results of Snoke’s conditioning and Ben’s descent into fear and anger. It was the main thing that drove him now. It killed her to think that her son would end up an empty husk, like Vader. As Luke had told her, it was only reuniting with his son that had saved Anakin, given him new meaning in an otherwise nightmarish life. ‘Do you know why the Force has connected you?’  
Rey shook her head, it was a question that she pored over, day and night. Why would the Force connect her to her enemy? ‘I wish I could explore it with… with Ben… but…’ she trailed off, not sure why she was reluctant to admit her deeply buried desire to reconnect with the man who had not only harmed his family, and her friends, but was leader of the most repressive organisation in the galaxy. It seemed wrong, going against every fibre of her being. Yet still the desire was there, haunting her.  
Leia seemed to sense it too. ‘You can’t be the one to save him,’ she said gently, just in case that was where Rey’s thoughts were headed. ‘He has to make that choice for himself.’  
‘I know,’ said Rey, seeing the relief in Leia’s eyes. They were deep brown, thoughtful and sensitive, beautiful. Like Ben’s. ‘But he doesn’t think he has a choice.’  
Leia sighed heavily. ‘That will be Snoke’s influence. He may be dead but he’ll still be in Ben’s head.’ Then, she had another thought and looked more hopefully at Rey. ‘I know it’s hard, but keep trying to talk to Ben. That’s where I went wrong. Where Luke went wrong. We stopped talking to him, to each other. And that made things worse.’  
There was nothing more to say. Both women sat for a while longer in companionable silence, enjoying the togetherness, enjoying their surroundings. Listening to a colourful bird, its trailing tail feathers of blue and red, sat above them, singing sweetly.  
When the bird flew away, Leia said, ‘I’ve told Poe that he’s got to let you focus more on your training. I know he wants you to take a more active role, But I don’t think that’s helpful right now.’  
‘I want to help,’ said Rey earnestly, ‘that’s why I’m here.’  
‘I know.’ Leia smiled and patted her hand. ‘And you can call me an interfering old woman if you like but… if you’re going to be serious about your training, then you need to focus on it above everything else. Luke dedicated his whole life to being a Jedi and… well you know what happened.’  
‘I don’t feel like a Jedi,’ admitted Rey miserably. She struggled with her emotions particularly, failing to fulfil the calm, detached attitude essential to developing the profound sense of peace that the Jedi found in the Force.  
‘You’ll get there,’ said Leia kindly, ‘I know you will. But you have to focus.’  
That had been months ago, the last time that she had spoken to Leia before she had taken to her bed. Her mentor’s words still rang in her ears as Rey sat on the same tree bough, remembering, allowing the tears to slide silently down her face. ‘I’m not the Jedi I should be,’ she confided quietly to the tree.  
‘You don’t have to be a Jedi.’ The voice beside her was soft and calm. ‘There are other paths.’  
Although it should have startled her, Rey hardly flinched. ‘What? Like the path you took? To the dark side?’  
Alone in his quarters, Ben Solo frowned. She was always so combative. ‘You’re thinking like a Jedi,’ he said contemptuously, ‘too rigidly. Only in terms of light and dark.’ He remembered a conversation from years before, another time. Before the darkness. ‘There is another way.’  
‘What do you mean?’ She turned to look at him, her face smeared with tears. He regarded her thoughtfully and his expression irritated her. It was as if he was studying an interesting specimen under a microscope.  
For Ben’s part, he was trying his best to keep his emotions in check. Ever since he had spoken to Rey on Naboo, he had not been able to stop thinking about her. Every waking moment, even his dreams, were focused on her. And now she was here, in front of him, her emotions visible on her lovely face. Never mind that some of those emotions included hatred, he could cope with that. It was to be expected. It was the longing for contact he felt in her, deep down, that confused him and excited him in equal measure. She was drawn to him despite her hatred. What did it mean? ‘Accepting that there is darkness, and light, in all of us,’ he managed to say, keeping his eyes fixed on her. ‘That we don’t need to change what we are.’  
His comment intrigued her, especially when he had spent many years trying to deny his true self. But she knew that the part of Jedi training that she struggled with most was trying to deny the darkness within her, to cleanse herself of its taint. Years of living on the fringes of society, the violence and lawlessness on Jakku, the feeling that she was different without really knowing why, her extreme loneliness, the loss of her family… there was much unresolved trauma inside her. She remembered Luke’s words about the Force, it was both powerful light and powerful darkness. Exemplified by her and Ben. ‘Maybe that’s why the Force connected us,’ she murmured, ‘we balance each other out.’  
‘Maybe.’ He moved closer to her, wanting to be near her. She made him feel, and think, in ways he had not experienced before. ’Both the Jedi and the Sith misunderstood the Force with their dogma and reductive notions of purity. No one is pure light or pure darkness. Snoke told me to resist the pull to the light but what if it’s meant to be part of me? Like the dark is meant to be part of you…’  
She was listening to him, his words were making sense. But for some reason her vision was blurring and she rubbed her eyes, not understanding. Then, suddenly, the world around her went dark.

She was walking across a bleak and wind-swept landscape, the sky split by fierce lightning storms. Before her stood an empty throne, roughly carved out of shiny, black rock that emerged from the mountains behind it, the seat surrounded by jagged spikes that reached up high into the tumultuous sky. She felt triumphant, powerful.   
‘Rey, see what you desire.’   
Reaching the stairs, she started to climb upwards. She had almost got to the throne when a figure emerged from behind it. It was Kylo Ren. As she came to the top of the stairs, he held out his gloved hand to her, his expression one of love and admiration. Without hesitation, she offered her hand to him, and he grasped it firmly. Pulling her close into his embrace, he leant down and kissed her passionately. Eagerly, she returned his kiss, his lips were soft and insistent and she wanted his love as much as he wanted hers.

As she came back to consciousness, a voice whispered in her ear. Exegol.  
The jungle surrounded her again. Rey’s heart was beating so violently that she thought she might faint. ‘What did I see?’ she gasped, staring at Ben.  
‘Our future,’ he replied softly. He was as shocked as she was at the intensity of the image presented to him. He could still feel the press of her lips against his.  
‘No.’ Had he seen the same vision? Of her, turning to the dark side? Was that what he wanted? Afraid, she backed away from him, not caring if their connection was broken, and ran all the way back to the base without stopping.  
As soon as she got back, she returned to her quarters, seeking information. For hours, she pored over the ancient Jedi texts, looking for any reference, however small, to Exegol. It was a strange word, unnatural to her ears, reviving horrible memories of her dark counterpart. She was just about to give up hope, when she finally found one tantalising reference in Luke’s journal, tucked into the notes at the very back of the book. Exegol seems to be key to the growing darkness. It was very little to go on and she could not help feeling disappointed.  
That night she could hardly sleep, her thoughts returning to the vision again and again. Not just the image of her with Kylo Ren but the heat of his passion for her and the strength of her desire for him. Is that really want she wanted? She did not know she could even feel that way. It felt like forbidden knowledge, something that the Jedi had shunned for good reason.  
Realising that trying to sleep was futile, she got up and went to her workbench. In reality it was a small space that she had taken over with her tools and books, squeezed into a corner of one of the hangars. She needed something to calm her, to take her mind off the vision that refused to leave her head. Sitting down, she looked at the lightsaber held in the clamp. Anakin’s lightsaber, the weapon that had propelled her on this curious journey. Ever since she had tried to heal it, to repair it, it had not felt the same. Something was irreparably damaged inside. Like Ben, she reflected sadly. But what could she do with something broken? Was it better to throw it away and start again? Like Ben thought his mother and father had done with him. Or was it better to keep it, as her instincts inclined her towards, seeing the flaw as an essential part of it, part of the journey that it had been on?  
‘Hey!’ A gentle hand patted her shoulder. It was Rose, also bleary-eyed. ‘Can’t sleep?’  
‘No,’ Rey smiled sadly.   
‘Me neither.’ Rose pushed her long fringe out of her eyes. There was no time or opportunity to get a hair cut on Ajan Kloss.  
‘Want to join me?’ Rey needed the company, hopefully it would take her mind off other things. Scooting over, she watched as Rose sat down. Although she had only got to know Rose after Crait, they had quickly become firm friends, bonding over their love of fixing things. Rose had helped Rey many times with the Falcon, a ship as grumpy and unconventional as its former owner, Han Solo, and they had both come to appreciate its uniqueness together. Rose’s ideas also intrigued Rey, her focus on love and the desire to find a different path towards peace then simply annihilating the First Order articulated some things that Rey was unable to think clearly about herself, her mind sometimes muddled by her experiences on Jakku, and her mixed feelings about Ben.  
‘Are you still trying to repair it?’ Rose looked at the lightsaber with interest. Rey needed such fine, delicate tools to work with it, tools that fascinated her engineer’s brain.  
‘Trying,’ complained Rey, running her finger along the badly patched together hilt. ‘It’s not been the same since the crystal cracked. I managed to heal it but… it doesn’t feel right anymore.’  
‘Perhaps it’s time to make a new one?’ suggested Rose, ‘if that’s even possible.’  
Rey nodded. ‘It was a rite of passage for all Jedi,’ she explained. ‘Finding a crystal and making your own weapon.’ Perhaps that what she needed to do. Go and find her own crystal. Construct her own lightsaber. Follow the path of a true Jedi.  
Rose pondered this. ‘Where would you even start looking for a crystal?’  
Reaching for one of the ancient tomes she kept on a shelf above the workbench, Rey opened it up at one of the well-thumbed pages. She showed Rose the list of planets that were known to supply significant numbers of crystals to the Jedi Order. Rose recognised many of them, planets that had been occupied and ravaged by the Empire. ‘They really hated the Jedi, didn’t they?’  
‘They did.’ Rey closed the book and sighed. ‘No wonder Luke felt so much pressure. The whole of their legacy hung on his shoulders.’  
And now it’s on yours. Rose did not say this out loud, she did not need to. Rey already knew the terrible implications of the Jedi inheritance. Although Rose was not a Jedi, or even Force sensitive, she was very good at reading people. And she could tell that Rey was suffering. Reaching out, she put her hand on Rey’s arm. ‘If you ever need to talk about anything. You know I’m here don’t you?’  
‘Yes, I do.’ Rey was grateful for Rose’s concern, even if she could not articulate how much it meant to her.  
‘Losing Leia was a huge blow for you…’  
‘It was for all of us.’  
‘I know,’ agreed Rose, ‘but she was more than a mentor to you. Much more.’  
‘She was the mother I never had.’ Finally Rey could admit it. Her need for a family had consumed her for so long, and she had seen small glimpses of what that might have looked like. Han, Leia, even Luke in his way. But now they were gone. Still, she had Finn, Poe and Rose. They were her family now. ‘Anyway, enough about me. What about you? Why can’t you sleep?’  
‘Oh, Finn’s given me a puzzle to solve and I can’t get it out of my mind. I want to solve it so badly but… I don’t even know where to start.’  
‘What’s that?’  
Rose thought she better start from the beginning. ‘Finn’s idea that is that in order to make any real inroads into the First Order we need to get the stormtroopers on side. Encourage them to turn against their leaders.’  
‘How?’  
‘That’s just it,’ frowned Rose. ‘We need something compelling to make them desert in large enough numbers. We thought about telling them that they’ve been stolen from their families, that the First Order kidnapped and brainwashed them. But…’  
‘What’s wrong with that? interjected Rey. ‘That sounds like a good idea.’  
‘You think?’ Finn had been less interested in finding his own family, but then he had found one in the Resistance. Perhaps for troops that were not invested in anyone or anything, the hollowness of their existence within the First Order might have a stronger effect. ‘Perhaps the bigger challenge is getting hold of the evidence, then?’  
‘You’ll manage it,’ said Rey brightly, ‘you’re good at hacking into computers.’  
‘Of course!’ Rose laughed and slapped the workbench with her hand, ‘I’m such a dummy. We’ll need to hack into the First Order computers. Thanks Rey!’  
‘You’re welcome.’ Rey smiled properly for the first time that day.  
‘I better get some sleep,’ said Rose, feeling more relaxed now that she had a clearer idea about how to proceed. ‘Coming?’  
Rey supposed that she should try to sleep again, she knew from experience that little sleep made training harder. Arm in arm, Rose and Rey made their way back to their sleeping quarters, chatting about lighter things, hugging each other tightly before retiring to their own rooms. It had done Rey good talking to Rose and she slept much better, not waking until the morning light peeped through the small window of her chamber.  
Sitting up, Rey wiped the sleep from her eyes before relieving herself in the small toilet cubicle hidden ingeniously in the wall. Dressing, she wondered out into the base, thinking that she should get some training in before breakfast. A few of the technicians were already stirring and they waved at her as she walked past, heading out into the jungle.  
Later on, at breakfast, she sat with Poe and Finn. ‘Where’s Rose?’ she asked as she tucked into the obligatory meal of pancakes and syrup. The pancakes tasted stale and were tough but once they were smothered in syrup, she hardly noticed.  
‘Stuck on a computer somewhere?’ shrugged Finn, scratching his head. He’d only got up a few minutes before breakfast and was still groggy. ‘That’s where she normally is.’  
‘Yeah, doing important work for me,’ frowned Poe, eating his breakfast as quickly as possible. He had a lot to do that day and had no time for pleasantries. He turned to Rey, ‘What are you up to?’  
‘I was going to ask actually,’ began Rey, feeling strangely nervous. Poe was in one of his ‘brisk’ moods as she called them, meaning that he was not always sympathetic to new ideas. But she had to try. ‘I need to make a new lightsaber…’  
‘Why? Haven’t you already got one?’ asked Poe, his mouth full of pancake.  
‘Yes, but it’s not working properly,’ she said, ‘and a proper, working lightsaber that can be relied on is fundamental to being a Jedi.’  
‘Okay.’ Poe put his fork down, willing to hear her out. ‘So what do you need from me?’  
‘I need your permission to go and find a new crystal.’  
Poe frowned. ‘Is that what powers those things? A crystal?’  
‘Yes, but not just any crystal,’ said Rey, trying to remember her reading. She had read so much it sometimes became jumbled in her mind. ‘It has to be a kyber crystal. Strong in the Force.’  
‘I guess one can’t be found on any old planet, then’ suggested Finn, intrigued by the conversation. He had not been able to talk to Rey about his sensitivity to the Force yet but he was always interested to hear her thoughts about being a Jedi. He thought that one day, when the war was over, he would like to train with her, to find out more about his capabilities.  
‘No,’ Rey shook her head. ‘There’s only a few systems left where the crystals exist. The Empire mined them for its projects like the Death Star.’  
‘Hmm.’ Poe was not sure that he could spare Rey on an entirely separate mission. There was so much to be done and he really needed her to take more of an active role, although he also knew that he had promised Leia to allow Rey to focus on her training. He felt torn.   
‘Please, Poe,’ pleaded Rey, ‘Part of a Jedi’s training was making their own lightsaber. When it’s done, I’ll be much more helpful to the Resistance.’  
She had a point. ‘Okay. I’ll let you go. But you have to do something for me first.’  
‘Of course.’ Rey knew that there would be no debate, Poe’s face said as much. ‘What do you need me to do.’  
‘I need you to go to Lothal,’ said Poe, scratching a scab on his chin which had come from shaving in a rush. ‘Our informant there’s got some information about potential supporters in the Outer Rim. You’ll need to pick up a data packet from them. Once you’ve picked it up, you can go and do what you need to do.’  
‘And is Lothal under First Order surveillance?’  
‘Not currently, but First Order activity is unusually heavy at the moment in all sectors,’ Poe went on, sipping his caf. ‘So you’ll need to be careful. The last thing we need is to lose you to Kylo Ren.’  
The way he phrased it reminded Rey of her vision and she blanched at the idea. ‘Believe me, I have no intention of being captured by him.’  
‘Good.’ Poe gave her a ravishing smile, ‘For being so flexible, as a special treat, I’ll let Chewbacca go with you.’  
Rey smiled with relief. That meant she could take the Falcon. ‘Thank you.’  
‘Now finish your breakfast,’ he commanded her, shovelling the last piece of his own pancake into his mouth, ‘there’s no time to waste. We need that data packet as soon as.’  
Later on, when she had finished stocking up the Falcon with the necessary provisions, Rey went to find Finn and Rose. Eventually she found them holed up in the central command centre, their two dark heads bent over a computer screen. ‘Hey.’  
Finn looked up. ‘Oh hey. Are you ready to go?’  
‘Nearly.’ Leaning on the back of Finn’s chair, she glanced at the reams of information on the screen that Rose was scrolling through. ‘What’s that?’  
‘Messages from the various informers that are stationed around the galaxy,’ explained Rose, leaning back so that she could have a break from the screen. She had been sifting through it all morning and her eyes were aching. ‘There’s some interesting stuff emerging,’ she went on, seeing that Rey was still listening and her eyes had not glazed over. ‘Rumours that a squad of stormtroopers have defected on Coruscant.’  
‘Really?’ That was a potential breakthrough. Coruscant was one of the Centrist planets that had always been loyal to the First Order. Although it had been heavily damaged in the Clone Wars, and left largely ruinous in the days of the New Republic, the First Order had recently embarked on a massive rebuilding campaign, potentially bringing it back into service as the centre of the First Order’s “Empire.”  
‘This could be the breakthrough we need,’ said Finn earnestly, looking up at Rey behind him. ‘If Poe agrees with our plan, we’re going to go to Coruscant to see if we can make contact with them.’  
‘Well, good luck,’ said Rey, feeling a small pang in her stomach. She wished she could be going with them, Coruscant had always fascinated her.  
‘You too,’ Rose stood up to hug her friend. ‘I hope you find what you seek.’  
‘I don’t even know what I’m looking for really,’ said Rey ruefully, ‘but the books assure me that I will know when I find it.’  
‘Follow your heart,’ was Rose’s simple advice.  
Finn said he would walk with her to the Falcon if Rose was okay with that; she agreed immediately, knowing that they had not spent much time together recently. Finn and Rey walked through the busy base together, talking about this and that. Finn had so much he wanted to say to Rey but for some reason he couldn’t seem to get the words out. He was worried about her; he had been discussing her with Rose and both had agreed that Rey seemed unhappy, lost even. And it was not simply due to Leia’s death, ever since they had settled here after Crait, her mind seemed to be on other things. She was easily distracted, although she could spend hours poring over her Jedi books or tinkering with the lightsaber. It was as if she was keeping something back from them, something that she could not share.   
‘Rey,’ began Finn as he saw the Falcon come into view, ‘is everything okay? Really okay?’  
Rey did not answer. She couldn’t.  
‘It’s not, is it?’ Finn could sense that something was bothering Rey, even without the Force. Indecision and confusion swirled around her.  
‘No,’ Rey said finally. She decided to tell him a little of her problems, hoping that would assuage the guilt about keeping the more significant ones secret. ‘It’s… I’m struggling with my training. The Jedi code… I don’t know anymore if Luke was right, the Jedi were wrong about a great many things, or I’m just not cut out to be a Jedi.’ She was beginning to fear that the latter was the problem.  
Finn’s solution was to open his arms and offer her a hug. Gratefully she collapsed into his arms, a sense of warmth and happiness flooding through her as he held her close. Her feelings for him were straightforward, uncomplicated. Finn was the first person who had ever cared for her, had come back for her. And she would never forget it. Rose had once asked her, shyly, if she loved Finn romantically. Rey had been confused but once Rose had explained what she meant, like Han and Leia, Rey had smiled. ‘Oh no,’ she had said, ‘he’s like my brother.’  
‘You take care of yourself,’ said Finn, soothingly. ‘I want you back in one piece.’  
‘Me too,’ smiled Rey, letting him go and regarding him fondly. ‘I don’t intend on doing anything that means I can’t come back here, to you.’  
‘I don’t know, finding this crystal seems dangerous to me.’ He paused, wondering if it was the right moment. ‘Rey, there’s something I need to tell you…’  
Chewbacca walked past them, mewling softly to Rey that the Falcon was nearly ready.  
‘Thanks Chewie!’ She looked at Finn apologetically. ‘What is it?’  
‘It can wait,’ he could see that she was itching to get going.  
‘No, we’ve got time.’ She was fed up with secrets. ‘What is it?’  
‘I think I’m Force sensitive.’ When she looked surprised, he went on, ‘I mean, I only think. I’m not sure. But it makes sense of a lot of things that have been happening to me lately.’  
‘Really?’ Rey smiled brightly. Come to think of it, she had noticed something special about Finn ever since they had come back together again on Crait. But her preoccupation with her own Force powers had distracted her from his. Now she looked at him, properly looked at him. By concentrating on the Force energy around him, their surroundings faded away and she began to see the ripples of light that bathed him, shifting and changing in response to his emotions.   
‘What can you see?’ he asked, seeing that their connection between each other was changing, becoming more prominent the more Rey reached into the Force.  
‘How strong you are,’ she said, marvelling at what the Force could reveal to her when she tuned into it properly. ‘When I get back, we’ll have to get together. Try out some exercises. It’ll be fun!’ It was a relief to know that she would have something else to take her mind away from her own issues with training  
‘I can’t wait,’ Finn was relieved that she had taken his news so positively, although he was not sure why he felt that way. Perhaps it was because Rey was so much more advanced in her understanding than he was, he didn’t want his own gifts to appear insignificant next to hers.  
‘Neither can I,’ said Rey, hugging him again, ‘I can’t believe we’ll be training together!’ Letting go of him, she said almost regretfully, “I better go.’  
‘Yeah and I better get back to Rose. Poor thing has been staring at that screen all morning.’  
‘Bye!’ Bidding Finn farewell, Rey skipped over to where Chewbacca was putting the final touches to the Falcon’s provisions. ‘All set?’  
Chewbacca nodded and followed her up the gangway into the ship.


	3. Kylo Ren speaks to the High Command

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren returns from Riosa with his Knights. He holds a meeting with the High Command of the First Order, outlining his new approach to ruling the galaxy. Hux is not pleased. Kylo is distracted by Rey.

‘What’s that?’  
Officer Moran looked up nervously from the console. In the distance she could hear the tramp, tramp, tramp of boots in the corridor. ’Sounds like Ren’s back.’  
Both officers snapped to attention as the noise came closer. Then, into the corridor came Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, accompanied by his Knights. They seemed a strange, archaic sight in the clean and modern surroundings of the Steadfast, a throwback to a more uncivilised age. Dressed in black, their armour patched together from many different eras and clans, the Knights formed a terrifying backdrop to the might of Kylo Ren, the only one of the group who was not wearing a helmet. Instead, dark wavy hair hung loosely around his face, fixed as ever into a grimly neutral expression, his eyes cold and hard. Their heavy boots dropped mud and dirt onto the shiny floors, leaving an arduous task for the cleaning squad, who would have to return them to General Hux’s exact specifications. As the group marched past, disappearing into the bowels of the ship, the two officers visibly relaxed.  
‘He didn’t look very pleased,’ remarked Officer Moran, going back to the screen on the console.  
‘He never does,’ laughed the younger Officer Jager. ‘Now, where were we.’  
The destination of Kylo and his Knights was one of the larger meeting rooms on the upper floor of the gigantic Steadfast, a room reserved for the meetings of the most senior officers of the Supreme Leader’s High Command. Upon taking power, Kylo’s first task had been to put together a High Command that would represent his interests effectively, and shield him from the machinations of his main rival, Armitage Hux. Despite their similarities - they had both been groomed and abused from a young age by Snoke, and isolated from their families - the desperate desire that Hux had for more power, and Kylo’s stubborn refusal to give him any more than he already had, prevented them from working together in the best interests of the First Order. Both men in fact had a grudging respect for each other, after all they had survived the cruel hierarchy of the First Order to rise to the top, and they had done all this despite being seen as nothing (Hux) and evil (Kylo) in the eyes of those who were supposed to love them. But the intensity of their rivalry trumped any acknowledgement of their similarities; Snoke had used them against each other too well for any relaxation of their hostility towards each other.  
The officers of the High Command were waiting for the meeting to begin. As usual, the Supreme Leader was late but they had learnt quickly that Kylo was very different from Snoke. Whilst Snoke had preferred to rule through mystery and fear, hiding himself away on the Supremacy, Kylo Ren was much more hands on, willing to throw himself into any task with his whole heart. That was, if he was interested in it. Anything that he was not interested in - which was basically all of the day to day practicalities of running the First Order - was left to someone else. This suited the High Command, particularly Hux, as it meant that mostly, things were running along as normal.  
But then had come the sweeping changes. In the early days, Kylo had been more interested in delving into Snoke’s background until it had become an obsession. He was determined to find out where the First Order came from and why Snoke had come to lead it. The Knights of Ren were sent out all over the galaxy to search for clues. Yet he could not ignore the fallout from the Battle of Crait for long. Although the Resistance were struggling to find support, a number of signs suggested that the catastrophic decisions made by Kylo during the battle had damaged the integrity of the First Order. Luke Skywalker’s stand against him had become a popular story, spread through the bars and drinking dens of the galaxy, embellished and added to but the essential story remained. That individuals could make a difference, could stand up to the might of an oppressive regime. Kylo Ren’s emotional and unhinged response to his Uncle had also made him a laughing stock. Here and there, citizens started to rebel against their First Order masters. The uprisings were feeble and easily crushed, except for the one on Naboo which had required significant resources to quell, but Kylo knew that it was only a matter of time before resistance against the First Order increased.  
So he had decided that a radical new approach was needed. Instead of enforcing loyalty through fear and oppression (which was Hux’s preferred approach), he was going to build loyalty through giving the people what they wanted. Albeit in a diluted fashion that would not impinge upon the superiority of the First Order. At the same time, he hoped that it would diminish support for the Resistance by giving citizens fewer reasons to join them. Although he had stopped wanting the wholesale destruction of the Resistance now that his anger had worked itself out, tempered by his feelings for his mother and Rey, he did not want to help them either.  
As the meeting door opened, Kylo marched in to find the High Command already seated around the table, waiting for him. Immediately all conversation ceased. Dismissing the Knights, who went to stand towards the back of the room, Kylo walked around to the front of the table, his favoured position nearest the window. There was a seat for him but he rarely used it, preferring to stand instead. He regarded the officers disdainfully. There was General Parnadee, eager to please but obsessed with the past. He had spent far too long discussing the wisdom, or lack thereof, of the Jedi commanders during the Clone Wars with her. Next to her was General Quinn, after Hux the most miserable and combative member of the High Command. It was not a surprise that they shared the same idiotic fixation on technological solutions and abstract simulations that Kylo was trying to lessen. General Engell was another one who was fairly harmless except for her fanatical devotion to Hux’s training programmes, and it had taken an inordinate amount of time for Kylo to convince her of the dangers of continuing to use kidnapped children to fill the ranks of the army and fleet. Only her rivalry with Hux, and need for attention, give him some levers with which he could work with. Next to her sat Commander Trach, one of the younger members of the High Command and Hux’s protege. He rarely spoke in meetings and Kylo assumed that he was out of his depth. At the far end, Lieutenant Garan and Officer Kandia represented security and intelligence respectively. Kylo had little difficulty working with both women, they were always helpful and positive. Lastly, the most senior and respected member of his team, Admiral Griss, whose experience, perceptive mind and calm manner he valued highly.  
‘I have good news for you,’ said Kylo when he knew that he had everyone’s full attention. ‘The rebellion on Riosa ended peacefully and with minimum violence. In return for greater representation, citizens have agreed to bring their concerns to the First Order directly.’  
‘Great,’ complained Hux sourly, ‘so now we’ll have more systems demanding concessions.’  
‘Of course,’ said Kylo, looking bored. ‘That’s the idea.’  
‘And you’re going to give them what they want?’ Hux looked about to pop a blood vessel. The idea of giving the loathsome citizens of the galaxy greater representation was preposterous to him.  
‘No, not everything,’ agreed Kylo, tapping his foot impatiently. Hux often derailed meetings, although Kylo tried very hard to keep them to time. He had better things to do. ‘Just enough to keep them loyal. It’s very simple, Hux,’ he went on, ‘I’m not sure why you struggle so much to understand this new approach.’  
Was Hux imagining things or had it become more difficult to breathe? ‘Of course, Supreme Leader. I do understand it. Only it seems very different to how Snoke…’  
‘Snoke is dead,’ snapped Kylo, fed up with Hux’s inconsequential blathering. ‘And we are talking about the present. Not the past.’  
‘Perhaps we should talk some more about your new strategy, Supreme Leader,’ said General Parnadee, seeking to diffuse the escalating situation. No one wanted to make the Supreme Leader angry. Bad things tended to happen. ‘How will this limited representation be achieved?’  
‘Very simply. The leadership hierarchy will remain the same,’ explained Kylo, ‘each planet will be allowed to assign a representative who will liaise with the First Order.’  
‘So similar to the Senate…’ she began.  
‘No, not similar at all,’ said Kylo bluntly, wondering if any of his senior officers had a braincell to share between them. They were all firmly entrenched in the past, unable to understand the intentions behind his new ideas. It was pitiful. These things were hardly radical. ‘There is no Senate. No senators. But there will be a representative for each planetary system who will be able to present their ideas to the First Order on an ongoing basis.’  
‘And will they do this separately, or together?’ General Quinn wanted to know.  
‘They will meet together regularly. This will allow for transparency and ensure that each system knows what is being requested, and received, by the others.’  
General Engell frowned, it sounded very much like the Senate to her, if not in name. ‘And we, the First Order, have the final say in what is conceded?’  
‘Yes.’ Kylo’s eyes swept around the room. Good, not every officer was confused about his plans. Some were even pleased with the idea. ‘If we give the people some of what they want, they are less likely to rebel. Or seek to join the Resistance.’ Turning to Admiral Griss, he asked calmly, ‘How is the situation on Coruscant?’  
‘It is coming back under our control, Supreme Leader,’ said Admiral Griss confidently, ‘and the building works are proceeding as planned.’ Pressing a small button on the table, Griss went through a series of images to demonstrate to the assembled officers, and their Supreme Leader, that progress was indeed being made. Work had started on the former Senate building and Chancellor’s offices, although there was still concern about the projected cost of the repairs. A few gasps of pleasure and excitement were audible around the table. The restoration of Coruscant, once the jewel in the Republic’s crown, was, for most of the High Command, testament to the continuing strength and success of the First Order and its leader.  
‘Excellent. And the deserters? Have they been found?’  
The Admiral’s face grew pensive, ‘Not yet, Supreme Leader. We are still searching for them but, as you know, the city is very complex and there are many different levels to lock down…’  
‘Yes, yes. Keep on with it,’ said Kylo tersely, knowing that it would be a weakness ripe for exploiting by the Resistance if they heard about it. ‘We don’t want them to become an example to others.’  
‘Of course, Supreme Leader.’ Griss considered that he had got off lightly. These were not the first troops to desert, and there was a growing concern that there would be more of them as serious weaknesses were starting to be discovered in the training programmes. It was an issue that Hux was supposed to be addressing.  
‘Anything else?’ Kylo’s eyes scanned the room restlessly.  
‘Supreme Leader,’ said Officer Kandia, her gentle voice at odds with her severe appearance. ‘The new propaganda posters and visuals have finally been delivered. Would you care to see them?’  
‘I would.’ A small hint of a smile appeared on Kylo’s face. He had been personally involved in designing the new propaganda materials for the First Order and was looking forward to seeing the finished project. As a boy, he had loved writing and drawing, and it had given his creativity a new outlet that had been sadly denied under Snoke’s insistence.  
The image viewer switched to a series of posters, bright colours underlying a simple and striking visual rendered in black ink. The new posters promoted the benevolence and magnanimity of Kylo Ren and the First Order, as well as highlighting the rewards of loyalty. The words, Peace, Stability and Prosperity, reflected the new core values that Kylo Ren wanted to instil in each of the First Order’s divisions.  
‘What do you think?’ Kandia could not see any displeasure on the Supreme Leader’s face, in fact it was the opposite. It was a marvel to see him so relaxed and she silently hoped that this new Kylo Ren would replace the saturnine and emotionally volatile individual they had previously been forced to endure.  
‘I like them,’ said Kylo, walking around the table to have a closer look. He could see that Hux hated them, but then he did not expect Hux to like anything about the new direction he was taking. ‘And I think our citizens will like them too.’  
Citizens… Whilst the rest of the High Command discussed the posters, Hux wanted to vomit. Why was Kylo Ren so bothered about the inhabitants of the galaxy all of a sudden? But then he realised that there had always been signs that the so-called ‘Jedi Killer’ was less barbaric than he had liked to portray to Snoke. Ren had despised the idea of Starkiller except as a deterrent, and, aside from his own personal vendetta against his family, he had actually killed far less ‘citizens’ then his fearsome reputation suggested. He had always been reluctant about the training programmes developed by Hux’s father and to Armitage’s chagrin, this had been one of the first things that Kylo had started to tamper with as soon as he had taken over.  
‘Now, to officer recruitment and retention. Hux,’ said Kylo, looking directly at his nemesis. ‘What progress are you making in these areas?’  
Hux wondered if Ren had been prying into his thoughts, using his uncanny ability to predict what someone was thinking about. Curse the Force. ‘The new academy is almost finished, Supreme Leader,’ said Hux blandly, bringing up several images of the new building onto the display. ‘Recruits will be able to start training in the next month.’  
‘Excellent.’ Kylo was excited about his new approach to recruitment and retention. The First Order had relied far too much on ridiculous methods such as kidnapping and brainwashing. In his mind, recruiting young adults, non-humans as well as humans, would not only enable those with real talent to be discovered, it would improve loyalty across the galaxy. The present system was creaking at the seams. It was expensive and incredibly resource intensive, as well as dangerous. For many of the problems around desertion and rebellion amongst the stormtroopers could be traced to the programmes developed by Brendol Hux and continued by his son. Whilst the officers and troops were stationed onboard colossal ships such as the Steadfast and Finaliser, the simulation programmes designed to weed out any problems could be managed effectively. However, as soon as troops were stationed on the ground, the management of these programmes began to break down. Hux had tried to argue for the development of technology that circumvented these issues but Kylo had demanded a more radical solution. Nothing less than the complete overhaul of the system. Even worse, the kidnapping of children for these programmes had revealed a nasty, underhand relationship that had been established between the First Order and various crime syndicates, including the revived Crimson Dawn, the Amaxitines and reviled Black Hand. Before Snoke’s death, Kylo had had no idea about how the First Order had obtained so many children but unravelling Snoke’s long chains of influence had revealed some disturbing practices. Although he could not put his finger on why, he felt uncomfortable, both morally and practically, towards continuing such methods under his leadership. He knew he was taking a massive risk - the criminal elements of the galaxy were much more powerful than he had ever imagined and saw themselves as having had a key role to play in the rise of the First Order - but it would be worth it. Many of the revelations had been kept hidden from the High Command for now, just as Snoke had kept the real extent of his relationships hidden from Kylo.  
From Hux’s perspective, the changes made to soldier recruitment and retention had provided him with a continual headache. Not only did he have to design, and test, a whole new array of training programmes suitable for young adults, who were not nearly as mouldable as children, but their Leader’s insistence on non-human recruitment necessitated an entirely new approach to armour design as well. Trying to incorporate non-human body shapes into already well-established production lines angered Hux immensely as it seemed so pointless to him. Everyone, except Kylo Ren it seemed, knew that humans made the best stormtroopers, and the best officers; non-humans were inferior in every way, which is why the First Order had shunned them, following the ideology laid down by the Empire. But trying to explain this to Kylo had proved pointless and Hux found himself in a difficult position. On the one hand, he wanted to set the new programmes up to fail, to make sure that they had no chance of working to teach Kylo a lesson. But on the other hand, that would potentially damage the integrity of his own beloved First Order, something that he found impossible to countenance. Reluctantly, he had decided that he had to make the new programmes work, but only for the sake of the First Order’s continued survival, not out of any loyalty to their mercurial leader.  
As Hux talked through the improvements he had made to the recruitment programmes, Kylo went to stand by the large windows that looked out into the vast reaches of the known galaxy. As he gazed out into the darkness he suddenly felt a familiar presence tugging at his consciousness, the presence of light shot through with threads of darkness. Rey… she must be close. Reaching out into the Force, he followed the traces of her presence, through the shifting weaves and wefts of energy which represented how the Force manifested itself in his mind. Until… until… aha, he had found her.  
Ben… Rey glanced up as soon as she felt him but she could not see him. She was sat in the Falcon’s cockpit, her feet on the console, reading one of the Jedi books for guidance. Outside the window, the streaks of light indicated that the ship was still in hyperspace. How had he reached her? This isn’t possible.  
It is strange, I admit.  
His voice was low and soft, almost as if he was whispering into her ear. The connection between them was getting stronger, it had to be. He was in her mind, and she was in his, his presence encircling her almost as if she were in his embrace. Intense emotions coursed through her - uncertainty, curiosity, longing… Where are you?  
In a meeting. Then he added more softly, You’re a pleasant distraction.  
She felt her face grow hot. She changed the subject, hoping that his interruption might be of use, but also wanting to inform him that she was still serious about becoming a Jedi. I’m making my own lightsaber. Any tips?  
Intrigued by her determination to follow the Jedi experience to the letter after their recent conversation, he was nonetheless pleased that she was coming to him for guidance. The places where kyber crystals grow are often strong in the dark side. It’s meant to test you. There weren’t many places left to find crystals after the Empire had plundered them, and he wondered where she was going. He was just about to ask her, when another voice intruded into his thoughts.  
‘Supreme Leader?’  
Hux’s voice snapped him out of his reverie, breaking the connection. Annoyed, Kylo turned back to the group sitting at the table. They were all looking at him expectantly.  
Hux was not looking happy. ‘I was saying that we need to build contingencies into the programme in case we do not attract the talented recruits that we hope for. As we all know, the Empire started to recruit from a much wider pool of citizens once it had established control over the known galaxy, abandoning the expensive cloning programme it established under the Republic. My fear is that such a recruitment policy will only attract traitors and criminals. What you might call the dregs of society.’ He looked pointedly at Kylo Ren, knowing that his father, Han Solo, had joined the Imperial Academy as a young man, until he was thrown out for (unsurprisingly) insubordination.  
‘We have discussed this already, General Hux,’ said Kylo dismissively, ‘and we agreed that although this is a risk, it might also have the positive affect of reducing the numbers of citizens who are tempted to throw their lot in with the crime syndicates or the Resistance. They are the real scourge upon the galaxy. We need to reduce their power and their hold over the reckless and the vulnerable.’  
So says the son of the woman who killed Jabba the Hutt, thought Hux. He thought that Snoke had obliterated any attachment that Kylo Ren had to his parents but now that this influence had waned, it seemed that Ren was determined to emulate them.  
If the High Command were surprised at, and troubled by, his zeal for combating crime, Kylo did not flinch from the reality of his ambition. None of the previous governments had been able to remove entirely their blight on the galaxy, and even the Empire had been curiously relaxed about the existence of crime syndicates and corrupt rulers such as the notorious Jabba the Hutt as long as they remained loyal. There were rumours that even Lord Vader had made use of bounty hunters when he required them. If he was going to make his mark, and be remembered, it would be through destroying their influence once and for all.  
‘And how will we achieve this ambitious plan?’ It was General Quinn this time, although Kylo could barely tell the difference. He was as sour and un-cooperative as Hux.  
‘By increasing the penalties for criminal behaviour and crushing their support in the Outer Rim,’ said Kylo, finally warming to his theme. ‘The payments that were being made by the First Order to several of the syndicates for the purposes of procuring children for our recruitment programmes have been stopped. Soon they will have no option but to make overtures to the Resistance, which will further tarnish the appeal of those traitors.’  
It was an ambitious plan, and most of the High Command were in agreement, especially if it contributed to the downfall of the Resistance. Realising that his objectives for the meeting had been achieved, a relieved Kylo Ren told the assembled leaders that he would away for a few days. When Hux asked him where he was going, he simply ignored the question, and left the room with his Knights, knowing that there would be continuing discussion between his senior officers once he was out of earshot. He was not interested, however, in their real feelings. Whether they agreed with him or not, this was the path he had chosen and they would follow - or be eliminated.  
Reaching his quarters, Kylo dismissed the Knights for the time being, telling them to return to their ship and await his further instructions. Then he entered his private sanctuary, the only space which he felt was truly his own. As a space it was purely functional, consisting of two large chambers, panelled in variously coloured woods that had been grown in the forests of Chandrila. One contained only a bed, the rest of his wardrobe and the equipment that dealt with his bodily needs hidden prudishly away behind the panels. The other room was his favourite, it was where he kept his collection of Jedi and Sith relics, ancient books and weapons, continuing the interests that had been fostered during his time training with Luke. For someone who wanted to destroy the past, he was curiously attached to the material remains of it.  
Taking off his cloak, he flung it onto a chair and went over to a small cabinet. He entered a series of numbers on the keypad to access what was inside. There was a hiss and a drawer clicked open, emitting a cloud of preserving fluid. As the mist cleared, he gazed at the content of the drawer. It was Vader’s mask, cracked and twisted by the funeral pyre on Endor’s forest moon. Once the mask had spoken to him but whatever dark side energy had been attached to it had gradually faded over time and it had never spoken again. Removing his glove, he placed his hand gently onto the mask, closing his eyes. ‘Show me,’ he murmured softly, ‘that which I seek…’  
In the next moment, everything went dark and his mind was filled with images of the past and the future… a lightning strike and Luke’s temple burning… a plain littered with bodies, saturated by the pouring rain… a strange tentacled creature sat on top of a humanoid baby, its eyes and mouth fused shut… Rey standing over him, his lightsaber in her hand, her face filled with hatred and loathing. She raised the lightsaber to strike…  
Alarmed, he pulled his hand back from the mask and the vision mercifully faded. But it left him shaking. The hatred in her eyes had been so intense, so real, that the memory of it burned into him for a long time afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing I disagreed with in the Rise of Skywalker was Kylo Ren almost slavishly keeping with Snoke's version of the First Order as if he had no ideas of his own (although I get that was the intention). Even in the Force Awakens, he criticises Hux's approach to stormtrooper recruitment - and although that might have just been a way to get at Hux, I couldn't see Kylo turning down the opportunity to annoy Hux in a massive way once he became Supreme Leader. So dismantling all Hux's systems would be first on his list. Also, the idea of relying on child recruits for the First Order seems stupid in the long run. It would cost a huge amount in terms of resources - rounding all the children up, feeding them, training them etc - for no immediate payback as they would not be ready for eighteen or so years depending on what age they are sent out into the field. Finn was early 20s for example and it is heavily implied that he has never fought before except in simulations.


	4. Threepio’s mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Threepio and Kaydel Connix travel to Mos Eisley to meet a new recruit for Threepio's network of droid spies. Things do not go according to plan.

Lieutenant Kaydel ‘Ko’ Connix peered out from behind the edge of the hangar bay, checking that the street was clear. Behind her stood Threepio, mercifully keeping his thoughts to himself for a change. Connix had already had to endure the entire flight from Ajan Kloss being subjected to Threepio’s opinion of the mission that Poe had sent them on. For Connix, who was starting to make more journeys out into the field after the decimation of the Resistance forces following the Battle of Crait, spending time away from Ajan Kloss was exhilarating and exciting, albeit dangerous. It was this latter aspect, however, that had dominated Threepio’s thinking ever since they had left the Resistance base, and Connix was beginning to wish that she had been able to travel with someone more upbeat, like Beaumont or Rose.  
But here she was, with Threepio, because the mission involved setting up a new contact as part of Threepio’s droid network, a growing concern that was becoming more and more important as the fight with the First Order dragged on. It had turned out to be an excellent source of intelligence, and with Threepio’s growing contacts, it was starting to make inroads into the First Order itself. Now Poe had set his sights on gaining the upper hand in the Outer Rim. This sector of the galaxy had always been a difficult one for the First Order to gain a foothold. Traditionally lawless, governed by a patchwork of crime syndicates, hereditary rulers, and small-time thugs, they had resisted as long as possible the demands of its leaders. But slowly, Kylo Ren was making inroads into this part of the galaxy, mainly through his relentless pursuit of the larger crime syndicates. For he had found that there were plenty of citizens who had always resented the control that the syndicates had, and were ready to throw in their lot with the First Order. So far, no planet had openly declared for the First Order but their stormtroopers and officers were becoming a far more familiar sight, even in the outlying regions of the Outer Rim. It was a development that Poe wanted to stop in its tracks, although even he, pragmatic to the last, baulked at joining forces with the crime syndicates.  
The spread of Threepio’s droid intelligence network into the Outer Rim was therefore a critical part of Poe’s plan. So far, Threepio had established contacts in Mos Espa but the largest spaceport, Mos Eisley had been much more difficult to crack. Until recently, that is. Finally, Poe had made contact with the owners of a black market haulage freighter, who were finding it more and more difficult to ply their trade in line with the First Order’s crackdown on illegal activity. Unusually, one of its owners was a droid, one that had cast off its shackles of servitude by removing its own restraining bolt. In return for support from Resistance intelligence over First Order activity, the droid had agreed to add its own extensive contacts to Threepio’s network. This was the droid that Threepio and Connix were going to meet.  
‘It’s clear.’ Leaving the hangar bay, Connix and Threepio began the walk to the other side of the spaceport where the haulage firm operated out of. The streets were busy, filled with locals, travellers and criminals of all species, shape and size. Women wearing huge capes to keep out of the sun, tottered alongside arrogant looking playboys, trying to cut a deal on their communicators. Jawas were everywhere, eyeing up droids, scuttling through alleyways, and generally getting under everyone’s feet. There were even several Tusken Raiders, wondering the markets looking for choice cuts of meat and fresh vegetables that were unobtainable in the desert, a sign that the centuries of hostility between the inhabitants of the settlements and the wandering nomads was beginning to thaw. After the monotony of Ajan Kloss, Connix looked around her in wonder, marvelling at the market stalls packed with goods of all kinds, from food to clothing, brought here from all over the galaxy. Not forgetting that Rose had told her that you could buy anything in Mos Eisley, legal and otherwise.  
‘I’ll never forget what Master Obi-wan Kenobi told me about this place,’ said Threepio primly, stepping aside to allow a group of Jawas to go past.  
‘What was that?’ asked Connix, scrunching up her nose as a particularly delicious smell floated past.  
‘A wretched hive of scum and villainy were his exact words,’ said Threepio, turning away from the sight of more obnoxious Jawas. ‘And he was not wrong. Our subsequent experience of this place made it more than an accurate description.’  
Connix was only half paying attention, keeping her eyes out for the First Order presence in the settlement. ‘Why? What happened?’  
‘We almost fell foul of the Empire,’ said Threepio in a way that meant he was surprised she did not already know the story. ‘We had to make a quick exit on the Millennium Falcon, otherwise we would have been captured. Without Captain Solo’s excellent, if reckless, piloting skills, it is very unlikely that we would have been able to travel to the Death Star and rescue Princess Leia.’  
Despite his annoying habits, Connix had quickly realised that Threepio’s existence was critical to the survival of the Resistance. ‘You’ve always been in the middle of things, haven’t you, Threepio?’  
‘Yes and I hope to continue being of importance to General Dameron,’ said the droid, shuffling along beside her. ‘The day I am terminated will be the day all the knowledge and information that I have accumulated over the years will be lost forever.’  
‘Hopefully that day will never come,’ said Connix conversationally.  
They came to a significant junction, taking the left hand turn. But immediately Connix realised her mistake. Further down the street was a couple of First Order troops, mercifully walking away from them. ‘We better hide until they’ve gone,’ she said, pulling Threepio over towards what she through was a shop on the side of the street.  
‘Er, Mistress Kaydel this is not what you….think.’  
But it was too late. They were already inside what Connix belatedly noticed was a pleasure salon, a place where tired pilots, smugglers and pirates could come for what was advertised vaguely as a ‘good time.’ Huge, colourful swathes of fabric hung from the ceiling and covered the walls, giving it an intimate, exotic feel. She was about to sneak out again, but unfortunately she had already been spotted.  
‘Greetings,’ said the droid behind the reception desk, gliding smoothly over. Like Threepio, the droid was a protocol droid, although this one’s silver plating was draped in scarves and, bizarrely, jewellery. ‘Are you looking for a good time today?’  
‘Er, not right now,’ said Connix, trying to make the best of a bad situation. ‘I…’  
‘Would you like to peruse the menu?’ continued the droid, it’s logic circuits adapting to cater for perceived levels of intellect. ‘We have three levels of service, suitable to fit all pockets, and all species.’  
‘What about droids?’ asked Connix, much to Threepio’s horror.  
‘Unfortunately we do not service droids currently,’ said the pleasure droid smoothly, ‘but there is a fix-up shop a couple of doors down the street where you can leave your droid for a service whilst you partake of the pleasures here.’ Coming over the droid more or less pushed a menu into her hands. ‘Please have a look. We have options for human men, human women, and any species you desire, depending on your preferences of course.’  
‘Er. thank you.’ Seeing that she had little choice, Connix took a menu but declined to sit down on a couch that was liberally strewn with cushions, just in case the droid did something to trap her there. Hopefully she could buy a bit of time until the stormtroopers had gone, then make her excuses and leave. Reading down the menu she wished she hadn’t. Connix thought that she was worldly until she realised that she had not even heard of half of the experiences on offer. After a mind-boggling few minutes, she gave up and handed the menu back to the serving droid. ‘I’m really sorry but I’ve, er, remembered I’ve got a client to see.’   
‘Oh, that’s a shame,’ said the droid pleasantly, ‘do come back later if you change your mind.’  
‘I will. Thank you.’  
Gesturing to Threepio, who had stayed quiet throughout the entire proceedings, Connix pushed the curtain aside and peered down the street. There was no sign of the stormtroopers so she hurried back out, hoping that their contact would still be where they had arranged to meet.  
‘That was an interesting diversion,’ said Threepio, who was trying not to think about the implications of what they had stumbled into.  
‘Rather too interesting,’ frowned Connix, hoping that there would not be any repercussions from blundering inside.  
‘I’ve heard some awful stories about those sorts of places,’ went on Threepio blithely, ‘especially from Captain Solo, about the terrible fate that can befall unwary travellers who go in there without knowing about the kinds of experiences that they offer. Why the worst one was where someone had their…’  
‘Please, Threepio,’ pleaded Connix, wishing the droid would just stop. He was starting to worry her now. ‘I wish you’d told me this before I went in there.’  
‘I’m ever so sorry, Mistress Kaydel, we were inside before I could really say anything. And that droid was very smart, it would have stuck a restraining bolt on me before I could say…’  
‘Okay, okay,’ said Connix, beginning to wish that she had stayed on Ajan Kloss after all. ‘I made a bad decision.’  
‘It’s not your fault, Mistress Kaydel,’ said Threepio generously, ‘this is only your third mission away from Ajan Kloss, I do believe?’  
‘And probably my last,’ she muttered, more to herself.   
‘I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself,’ said Threepio reassuringly, ‘We all have to start somewhere. Why, Artoo and myself have been in enough scrapes over the years. You wouldn’t believe the situations we’ve been in.’  
‘I guess not,’ for all his faults, Threepio was helpful at times, even if only to take her mind off her concerns.  
They were coming into one of the scummier parts of the colony, a mixture of hangar bays for the less discerning pilot, and bleak-looking industrial units, most of them churning out black smoke despite the searing heat. Checking their location, Connix immediately saw that the hangar bay they needed was just across the street, its entrance sandwiched in-between a grim take-away and droid repair shop. Walking quickly, Connix ushered Threepio into the entrance atrium. Thankfully, its stone corridor was cool and shady after the relentless heat of the sun. Rounding the corner, they came out into a large circular space, reflecting the typical design of most of the hangar bays in Mos Eisley. At the centre of the space was a huge, battered Corellian star-freighter, although not a model that Connix recognised. The ship was a hive of activity; several humans dressed in dark blue jumpsuits were loading bags into a storage area accessed from outside the ship. Another individual of mixed species origin was checking the fuel levels, whilst a droid was busily ushering passengers on board. As soon as it saw Connix and Threepio emerge into the hangar bay it looked over and waved.  
‘There’s our contact,’ said Threepio happily, glad that they had not missed the departure of the freighter. Raising his arm in greeting, Threepio went over with Connix to where the droid was waiting for them. ‘L9-D9?’  
‘That’s me,’ said the droid, in a surprisingly pleasant and soothing voice. ‘And you must be Threepio.’  
‘I am C-3P0, human cyborg relations,’ replied the droid grandly, ‘and this is my human associate, Lieutenant Connix.’  
‘Pleased to meet you,’ said the droid cheerfully, watching as the last of the passengers went up into the ship. ‘I suppose you want to know my credentials?’  
‘It would certainly be useful,’ replied Threepio politely.  
Connix sighed, trying not to get frustrated with the two overly polite droids. ‘We don’t have much time, so can we have the short version please?’  
‘Certainly,’ replied L9-D9. ‘As you know, I am part owner of this haulage company, which plies its trade across the galaxy. I frequently accompany the passengers on their journeys, looking after their needs, making sure that they are comfortable. In return, they tell me their gossip. I also pick up a great deal of information from the travellers that pass through this spaceport. I gather that the Resistance would be interested in that information?’  
‘We would,’ agreed Connix before Threepio could reply in his long-winded fashion. ‘We are interested in anything that can keep us abreast of the First Order and its interests.’  
‘Its interest is definitely turning on the Outer Rim,’ remarked the Captain, coming over to join them. ‘Only this week, we’ve run into three First Order patrols when before there were hardly any. They want to tap into the lucrative trade networks that we’ve spent years building up, outside of the Empire’s, and the Republic’s, jurisdiction.’  
‘And you’re happy to support the Resistance?’ asked Connix.  
‘In return for your intelligence and your protection,’ nodded the Captain, folding his arms. ‘If the Resistance win, we want to be on the right side. For once.’ He grinned, revealing a disarming smile and surprisingly good teeth.  
‘You will find many smugglers and pirates coming round to that way of thinking,’ mentioned L9-D9. ‘Only last week, we bumped into Sidon Ithano…’  
‘What? The Crimson Corsair?’ asked Threepio in surprise.  
‘Yes, you know him?’  
‘Not personally, but his reputation is well known in Resistance circles,’ replied Threepio. Sidon Ithano, a handsome man of Delphidian heritage, was one of the more infamous pirates that roamed the Outer Rim, looking for spoils from richer, and less well protected, starships. It was less well known that Finn had almost joined the pirate’s crew on his first trip to Takodana, a fact that Ithano liked to tell people when he was tipsy.  
‘Well, he is beginning to think about throwing his lot in with the Resistance. Not formally, but if the First Order keeps hounding him the way that they are doing, it won’t be long until he turns.’  
Connix looked at the Captain thoughtfully. ‘And you could connect us to him?’  
The Captain nodded, ‘If that was something the Resistance was interested in, yes.’  
Connix made a mental note to mention this to Poe. ‘Then you’ll join our network?’  
Both the Captain and L9-D9 nodded. ‘From what we hear about Poe Dameron,’ said the Captain, ‘we like the sound of him.’  
‘There was a time when we thought the Resistance was finished, crushed by the First Order. But when we heard about what happened on Crait. How Luke Skywalker stood up to that monster Kylo Ren and his army with only a lightsaber, it gave us hope.’ L9-D9 looked over at Threepio, ‘If you’re ready, I can give you our co-ordinates.’  
Whilst Threepio made the necessary data exchange, Connix kept her eyes nervously on the entrance to the hangar bay. Wishing them well, the Captain had left to start up the engines, the enormous freighter slowly coming to life as the engine throbbed and hummed. Threepio had nearly finished downloading the data when there was a commotion at the entrance and Connix’s worse nightmare came true. Running into the hangar bay were three stormtroopers, their blasters at the ready.  
‘Stop those traitors!’ yelled the one in the lead, pointing to Connix and Threepio.  
‘All finished,’ said L9-D9, pulling out of Threepio just as Connix raised her blaster, shooting down one of the troopers before they realised that their quarry was armed. Aiming again, this time she missed, narrowly avoiding being hit by the return blaster fire. Annoyed, L9-D9 grabbed its own blaster from a holster around its middle and started shooting indiscriminately at the remaining two troopers.  
Terrified, Threepio cowered behind Kaydel as she blasted away another of the troops, the last one taken out by L9-D9.  
‘I suggest you get out of here before more of them show up,’ said the droid cheerfully, replacing its blaster. ‘We’ll be in touch!’  
‘Thank you!’ Grabbing Threepio, Connix hurried out of the hangar bay, trying to keep to a sprint. It was difficult with Threepio, and his servomotors were whining with the effort of keeping up with her, but Connix reminded the droid that it was better to be expending effort now than lying in pieces on the ground.  
‘That’s very wise, Mistress Kaydel,’ said Threepio, narrowly avoiding smashing into an incensed Devoronian, who gestured rudely after them. ‘But I would like to keep some of my joints.’  
They made it back to their ship with only two minor incidents; one in which Threepio, trying to avoid a group of Jawas, almost crashed into a market stall, just being stopped in time by Connix, and the second, when Threepio accidentally caused a Duros to trip over, leading them to fall into an extremely angry slave-trader called Gulak. It was only through Connix’s quick thinking that they were able to get away from the fist-fight that ensued. Leaving the chaos behind them, they blasted away from Mos Eisley without looking back.  
‘Well, thank goodness that’s over,’ said Threepio, as Connix pushed the levers that would take them into hyperspace. ‘But we’ve got some good stories to tell General Dameron.’  
‘We do,’ sighed Connix, glad to be still in one piece. Leaning back against her seat, she closed her eyes. ‘We do.’


	5. Rey has an adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey travels to Lothal where she meets an informer, who tells her about support for the Resistance in the Outer Rim. She has a run in with the Knights of Ren and their conflicted leader. Next she travels to Ossus to find a crystal for her lightsaber but ends up following in the footsteps of an unlikely pair. There is some bad language and sexual references due to the potty mouthed Knights of Ren.

The Millennium Falcon flew down towards the surface of Lothal, its lights cutting through the pouring rain. Chewie could barely make out the large clump of trees that he had chosen to act as their cover, the only distinguishing feature he could find in otherwise unremarkable farmland. As the ship landed, Rey could hear the rain pattering heavily on the roof of the cockpit, suggesting a significant storm. Sighing, she looked at the instructions from Poe again. She was to head for the settlement of Ramen, a small, isolated colony on the fringes of the Great Wilderness, home to a group of believers of the Church of the Force. As Chewie had told her on the journey, the Great Wilderness had once been the stalking grounds of the savage and unpredictable loth-wolves until the Empire had wiped them all out in its desire to plunder the planet’s rich resources. ‘That’s fortunate,’ Rey had muttered, the thought of being attacked by Force sensitive wolves was not a pleasant idea.  
‘I hope they’re expecting me,’ she said now, pulling on her poncho against the awful weather.  
Chewbacca made sure that she had her weapons on her belt, and the details of the contact secure in her bag. The person she was looking for was Kai Tyrrel, a former member of the Rebel Alliance who had long retired into obscurity. Chewie remembered the name vaguely, recalling that she had been an operative during the battle of Endor for the Rebel fleet, but apart from that he knew very little about her. Taking a deep breath and reminding herself to be calm, Rey said goodbye to Chewie and headed out into the storm, pulling her hood tight around her head.  
With the rain pouring down, she started to walk towards the settlement in the distance. It was dark the thick grey clouds pressed tightly together, the only light coming from occasional flashes of lightning. The wind howled across the plains, causing the rain to slant down in massive sheets, and Rey struggled to keep upright as the elements bore down on her. But she persevered, knowing that it was critical she obtained this information for Poe. It made her feel better that he had sent her out on a mission; she had been stuck on Ajan Kloss for a long time training and, despite what Leia had said, she did want to be more useful to the Resistance than merely a ‘Jedi-in-waiting.’ Reaching out with the Force, she tried to get a handle on her situation, trying to sense the dominant emotions on the web of life that made up the Force. But the rain and the wind were too distracting and she gave up the attempt, trusting that her instincts would not let her down when she needed them.  
Despite the best attempts of the weather, she eventually reached the settlement, a haphazard collection of ten or so huts built out of local stone and wood. Fires were burning in the majority of the cottages, and she felt comforted by the sense of calm she felt as she came nearer. These were peaceful people, content with their lives despite the hardships it entailed. People who lived off the land, subsisting day to day.  
One of the wooden doors opened and a figure stepped outside, dressed from head to foot in thick, woollen garments. Upon seeing Rey, the figure raised its hand and waved. It was not until she was right up close that Rey could see it was a woman, about the same age as Leia had been when she passed away. Her face was kindly, creased and lined from working long days outside.  
‘You must be Rey,’ she said as the girl came closer, ‘come in, come in. Before you perish.’  
‘Thank you.’ Rey hurried inside the hut, as Kai Tyrrel, for that’s who it was, followed her in and shut the door firmly behind her. Inside, she removed her hood, looking around her with interest. The cottage was formed of one large room, with a wooden ladder leading up into further space within the roof. There was a kitchen area with a large table and chairs, a couple more wooden chairs, and a stone flagged floor upon which a small child was playing with a furry, four-legged creature. There was a large fireplace to one side, inside which a fire blazed. Instinctively, Rey went towards it, warming her cold hands.  
‘Tea?’  
‘Oh, yes please.’ Above the fireplace was a collection of objects that caught Rey’s interest. Several were decorated with symbols that she recognised from the ancient Jedi texts, indications that the owner of the cottage venerated the Jedi. ‘How long have you been here?’  
‘Since the war ended,’ said Kai, busy pouring two cups of tea. ‘Well, I mean the war against the Empire. Sometimes I forget that we’re still fighting the First Order.’  
‘Has the war stayed away from here?’ Rey accepted the cup of tea gratefully.  
‘Mostly,’ said Kai, taking a seat and indicating that Rey should take the one next to her. ‘There’s nothing here they would want after the Empire took everything. Which makes us lucky I suppose. But we do what we can to help those who would restore the Republic.’ She looked at Rey from twinkly blue eyes. ‘So you’re working for Poe?’  
‘Yes. How do you know him?’  
‘I knew his mother, Shara, she was a lovely woman. Such a loss. As was Leia.’  
Rey nodded, ‘I was lucky to spend time with Leia before she passed away.’  
‘What can I say about Leia which hasn’t already been said,’ sighed Kai, looking into the flames. ‘She’s one of the greatest leaders this galaxy has ever known. I can’t think of anyone else who could have gone through what she did and come out of the other end with their spirit still intact. She truly was an inspiration.’  
Loathe to tear her eyes from the fire, Rey settled back in her chair, trying to listen to what Kai was saying to her. But she was struggling, the dancing, flickering flames were having a strange effect on her. They called to her, wanting to show her something. The rest of the room faded away until all she could see was the fire. Within the bursts of orange and red she could see half-formed shapes, what she assumed to be the ghosts of warriors from long ago. The sounds of battle echoed in her ears, wars fought over long-lost artefacts and forgotten ruins.  
‘Are you alright, dear?’ Kai was looking at her curiously.  
‘The fire is showing me things,’ she managed to say, caught in the grip of the Force’s influence.  
‘Tell me!’ Kai stared at her, wondering at her power.  
‘Conflict… over something lost for many centuries,’ she whispered, trying to catch what the voices were telling her. ‘Warriors in strange armour, searching for it.’ The vision faded and she closed her eyes, feeling exhausted from the mental effort.  
‘Here,’ Kai was immediately at her side, with another cup of tea. ‘The Force is strong around here. what with all the old ruins.’  
‘What ruins?’ Rey looked at her intrigued, almost forgetting the reason why she had come to Lothal.  
‘Temples built by the Jedi and the Sith. Lothal is unusual in that both the Jedi and the Sith claimed it, although at different times in our history, and their descendants guard both legacies tenaciously. That’s why I often forget about the war with the First Order, you see. Here, the war is between two ancient enemies, one that has never stopped raging. The Light and the Dark.’  
Rey nodded, remembering something similar that Maz had said to her. The she said, ‘The Force is out of balance.’  
‘You’ve felt it too?’  
‘Yes. The Dark is getting stronger.’ She thought of Ben.  
Suddenly, the door opened and a young woman stumbled in, dressed in a long, dark cloak, sodden with the rain. ‘Mother!’  
‘Oh goodness, Cassy!’ Kai immediately sprang up as the wind and the rain came into the cottage, swirling the dust and sprinkling the floor with water. ‘Shut the door, quick!’ As the door slammed shut, Kai asked the newcomer, ‘Where have you been?’  
‘Up to the ruins. It’s true,’ Cassy went on, taking off her cloak and throwing herself down into a nearby chair. ‘There’s strangers there. I’ve seen them. No good will come of this. It’ll only bring the Acolytes out.’  
‘I told you not to go,’ fussed Kai, getting a cup of tea for her daughter.  
Rey sat up. ‘What strangers?’  
Cassy looked over, seeing Rey for the first time. ‘Oh, who’s this?’  
‘This is Rey,’ Kai explained, bringing the cup over to her daughter. ‘She’s with the Resistance. The one I told you about.’  
The two women regarded each other for a moment. Cassy couldn’t have been much older than Rey, her red hair pulled back tightly from a pale, thoughtful face. ‘The last Jedi,’ she said quietly, staring at Rey as if she was a rare artefact, not quite real.  
‘Something like that,’ said Rey, more worried about the incident at the Temple that Cassy was talking about. ‘What’s going on out there?’  
‘The Knights of Ren were spotted earlier, going into one of the old temples,’ explained Cassy, taking a sip of her tea. ‘Me and Mervyn went to see what they were up to. We knew it wouldn’t be long until the call was made. If the Acolytes show up, who know’s what will happen.’  
Rey wished that Cassy would slow down. ‘Who are the Knights of Ren?’  
‘They’re a group of Force sensitive warriors,’ said Kai, rummaging around on the mantlepiece, ‘led by the master of the Ren, the Son of Darkness.’  
Ren. Son of Darkness. She had heard those names before. ‘Is that the same as Kylo Ren?’  
‘Yes, that’s right.’ Kai handed her the data packet that she had come for. ‘He’s their current leader. The knights themselves have existed for centuries, even if the warriors who now bear their names have not. Stories tell of cruel marauders who follow no rules except to be guided by their darkest desires, mercenaries that can be hired to do the gruesome jobs that no one else will do.’  
‘How did Kylo Ren come to be their master?’ She was surprised to find out something new about Ben, something he had not told her. For some reason, she felt betrayed by his secrecy before she reminded herself that they were enemies. Of course they would hide things from each other.  
‘No-one knows the true story, but to become the master of the Ren, one has to undertake a trial that tests strength and determination, as well as demonstrates one’s commitment to the dark. It’s likely that it involved killing their previous Master.’ She looked at Rey with concern, ‘You better go, dear, before the danger comes closer. There’s groups of Sith loyalists, Acolytes we call them, that guard the temples. As soon as they know the Knights are here, they’ll come to defend them.’  
‘There’s no honour amongst the adherents of the darkness,’ added Cassy, ‘fortunately.’  
‘What do they want?’  
‘The Knights? Probably looking for something in the temple ruins,’ said Kai, fetching Rey her poncho. It had started to dry out after its soaking, and Rey was pleased to find that it was still warm from the fire as she pulled it over her head. ‘We heard rumours that Kylo Ren is searching for information about the origins of his former master, Snoke.’  
So that was what Ben had been up to for the past year, pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. ‘This is the information we need?’ she asked, referring to the data packet in her hand.  
‘Yes,’ said Kai, ushering her towards the door. ‘Our network has tendrils all over the Outer Rim. There’s details in there of potential supporters, people who have been slow to come forward in the past but with a little persuasion, might throw their lot in with the Resistance. The reach of the First Order extends with each year and I think some are finally beginning to realise that the Outer Rim is not exempt from their cruel vision.’  
‘Thank you.’ Rey stowed the data packet away in her bag, to protect it from the elements, which continued to rage ferociously outside.  
‘I’m sorry you have to leave,’ said Kai, her hand on the door. ‘I would have liked to have talked more.’  
‘Me too.’ Rey did question the wisdom of her leaving, she could have remained in the village until the conflict had died down, but Kai seemed to think that it was too dangerous for her to remain there. Perhaps the Acolytes, or the Knights of Ren, would sense her presence. But there was no time to question the decision, Kai was opening the door and she was out again in the storm. Only now it was pitch black and it took her some time for her eyes to adjust to the gloom. Immediately the door was banged shut behind her. Rey was on her own.  
Trying to get her bearings, Rey struck out from the settlement, back towards where she assumed the Falcon to be. Overhead, a streak of lighting lit up the sky, followed by the low rumble of thunder. She quickly became disorientated, confused by the darkness and the voices calling to her though the Force. They were leading her somewhere and she tried to resist them, to remember where she had left the Falcon. But then she felt another, familiar presence.  
Kylo Ren.  
He was close by, she could feel him, affecting the Force around her. It made her shiver, either that or it was the incessant rain dripping down into her neck. Already her poncho was wringing wet. Pulling her hood more closely around her face, she pushed on, determined to ignore Ben’s intrusion into her mind, wanting to get on with the more important task of finding the Falcon. But she was curious to know why he was on Lothal. Had he read her mind when they connected? Was he following her?  
Through the driving rain she could finally see, up ahead, a large clump of trees. Joyfully, her heartbeat quickened. That was where she had left the ship, already she could imagine Chewie’s warm embrace when she got back and that thought spurred her on as she entered into the trees.  
Thankfully, the rain lessened under the spreading leaves, although she was caught now and then by a large drip that startled her. The wind howled around the copse as she made her way through the wood, that and the thunder drowning out the voices that still called to her from faraway. Coming to the edge of the tree-line, it was only then that she realised she was nowhere near the Falcon at all.  
Opening up in front of her through the slanting rain was a flat plain, bleak and muddy. It was difficult to see but then a flash of lightning lit up everything in front of her briefly, revealing a temple in the distance. A ruined dome with two small towers either side. As the thunder rumbled overhead, another flash of lightning lit up the ground, revealing, to her horror, that scattered across the plain were lots and lots of bodies. Dead bodies.  
It was then she remembered. She had been here before. She had seen the same place in her vision in Maz’s Castle. When the lightsaber had first called to her.  
Another flash of lightning lit up a group of figures stood several yards away from her. There were six, maybe seven. Warriors dressed in strange dark armour, their faces obscured by masks. Without looking she knew at the centre of them was Kylo Ren.  
‘It’s got to be here somewhere.’  
She could hear him now. He was searching through a body on the ground, looking for something. She knew that she should run, that she should get away from this place as quickly as possible. But she was transfixed by Ben, by what he had become. By what he had always been. A warrior of the darkness, guided by his own inscrutable passions. His strength and his determination, signified by the utter annihilation of his adversaries, both appalled and attracted her.  
It was then that one of the apparently dead bodies got up from the ground and ran straight towards where she was standing.  
Kylo glanced up and his eyes locked into Rey’s, as if seeing her for the first time, ’Look out!’  
Like the Knights, the Acolyte was entirely covered in bulky armour. A large helmet and goggles were pushed back from a frightened face. Streaked with blood. ‘Help me!’ he pleaded as he ran towards her.  
Confused and distracted, Rey didn’t know what to do. She could see that the man was wounded. He needed help. She went towards him, but before she could speak, he grabbed hold of her tightly, putting a previously hidden knife to her throat.  
‘Let me go!’ she gasped, twisting in his arms, trying to get to her own weapon. It was bringing back horrible memories, memories of being trapped. In the darkness.  
‘Don’t move!’ he growled in her ear, pressing the knife against her skin.  
Frightened, cursing herself for being so stupid, Rey complied.  
Turning around, the Acolyte found himself face to face with Kylo Ren. The tall warrior’s face was a picture of barely suppressed fury. ‘Let her go.’  
Rey forced herself to stay calm. She needed to find a way out and perhaps Ben’s presence could help her. She felt his power in the Force radiating out around him, and she reached out to it, drawing on it to strengthen and nourish her own.  
‘No,’ said the Sith, pressing the knife against her skin.  
Rey felt a sharp pain as the blade bit into her skin. Her instinct was to ignore the pain, but what if she used it instead?  
The Force swirled with menace around the three of them, fed by the Acolyte’s desperation, Rey’s fear and Kylo’s growing anger. He felt her pain through their connection and he was trying to work out how he might free her without endangering her life.  
Behind him the Knights of Ren stood silently, waiting to see what would happen.  
‘Give me back what you’ve taken,’ the Acolyte went on, looking at something in Kylo’s hand. It was a triangular device, transparent with metal filigree supports holding it together.  
‘This?’ Kylo looked at it for a moment. Then he said, ‘The holocron for the girl.’  
‘You’d trade a worthless girl for an artefact you’ve spent months searching for?’ There was nothing but contempt in the Acolyte’s voice.  
‘She’s not worthless to me.’  
Rey looked up at that, catching Ben’s eyes. He could not hide the concern he felt for her, and she wondered if the Acolyte could see it too.  
‘Very well.’ The man licked his lips, betraying his nervousness. But he did not relax his hold on Rey. ‘Give me the holocron first. Then I’ll give you the girl.’  
Kylo smiled. ‘Catch!’ he said, and threw the holocron to the Acolyte.  
The man let go of Rey, pushing her away at the same time as he tried to catch the holocron. But he caught Kylo’s red laser sword instead, which sliced straight through his chest, killing him instantly. With a look of grim satisfaction, Kylo pulled the blade out of the corpse, watching as it fell heavily to the ground next to Rey. Then, without a word, he returned the lightsaber to his belt and came over towards her, bending down to pick up the holocron from where it had fallen into the mud.  
Breathing heavily, Rey stared at him, not knowing what to say.  
‘Thank you would suffice,’ said Kylo Ren, a smile nearly breaking through his otherwise taciturn expression.  
‘Are you following me?’ Rey asked ungraciously, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of thinking that she was grateful for him rescuing her. The cut on her neck prickled angrily and she put her fingers to it. They came back bloody.  
‘I think you’ll find I got here first,’ murmured Kylo, busy wiping the holocron on his cape. Inside it, tendrils of light danced around, forming swirling patterns beneath the glass. ‘I saw you coming from a mile off,’ he went on, regarding her with amusement. ‘You should be more careful flying around in that piece of junk.’  
‘Why? What will you do to me?’  
He shrugged. ’I might arrest you and take you back to my ship.’  
‘You wouldn’t dare.’  
Kylo didn’t reply, but she could see that he was trying very hard not to smile.  
Behind them, the Knights were growing restless, wondering who the girl was. Not only had she appeared from nowhere but she seemed to be on friendly terms with their leader.  
‘Must be the scavenger,’ said Ushar with a flash of insight.  
‘It must. I can feel her strength in the Force from here,’ agreed Vikrul, hoisting his weapon to a more comfortable position.  
‘No wonder he’s so forgiving of her,’ grinned Trudgen.  
‘Especially with that face and body of hers,’ sniggered Ap-lek, raising his eyebrows beneath his helmet. They had always wondered what gifts the scavenger had to keep their leader in such thrall. Now it was becoming clear.  
‘I’d definitely give her one,’ said Cardo, to roars of approval from the rest of them, except from Kuruk who was staring at the exchange between Kylo Ren and the last Jedi with intense interest.  
Over by Kylo, Rey wondered what the rest of his Knights were laughing about. ‘Are they yours?’  
‘The Knights belong to no-one,’ he scoffed, regarding her coolly. ‘But they follow me for the time being. Wait, you’re bleeding…’ He noticed the cut on her neck for the first time, another brief display of concern flashing across his face.  
‘It’s nothing,’ she insisted, not wanting his pity. They were supposed to be enemies, she didn’t need any more complication.  
‘Let me see,’ he said, coming closer and trying to look. ‘I think Trudgen’s got some bacta…’  
‘No.’ Rey shook her head, holding her hands up to guard herself. ‘It’s fine.’  
It was Ben’s turn to feel unsure, wondering what he should do. The Supreme Leader in him knew that he should arrest her, to take advantage of the fact she was here, all alone. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. ‘What are you doing here?’  
It was easy to lie. ’I was looking for a kyber crystal.’  
‘You won’t find any here.’ They were both drenched by the rain by this point and Ben’s hair was sticking flatly to his head, whilst Rey’s buns were drooping sadly.  
‘I realise that now.’  
‘The only place left now really is Ossus,’ mused Ben, forgetting himself for a moment. ‘That’s where I found mine.’  
‘I’ll try there instead,’ said Rey, who had intended to go there anyway but it was good to have Ben’s confirmation that she wouldn’t be disappointed. ‘But you have to promise not to come after me.’  
‘I’ve got what I need,’ he said dismissively, indicating the holocron.  
‘Good. Well, I better be getting back to the Falcon.’  
But when she made no real attempt to leave, he sighed. ‘You don’t know where you’re going, do you?’  
‘Er, not really,’ she admitted.  
‘You’re lost,’ he couldn’t help teasing her.  
‘I am, yes.’ There was no point denying it. ‘I don’t want to hold you up, so if you just point me in the right direction…’  
‘I’ll come with you, in case there’s any more of these guys around.’ He kicked the body of the Acolyte, just to make certain she knew what he was talking about. ‘Wait here a minute.’  
Turning back to the Knights, Kylo Ren went over to them, leaving Rey standing by the trees, in two minds as to whether Ben’s attitude towards her was getting better or worse. Like Finn, he seemed to have developed a protectiveness towards her that belied his otherwise sardonic reaction to anything she said. He’s your enemy, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time, he doesn’t care.  
Reaching the Knights, Kylo handed the holocron to Kuruk and told them to return to the ship to wait for him there.  
‘Want some alone time with your little scavenger, eh?’ joked Trudgen, glancing over to where Rey was waiting patiently by the trees.  
‘No wonder you save her,’ was Ap’lek’s summation.  
‘Heh, heh, give her a good fucking,’ laughed Ushar, coarsely, nudging Cardo, who grinned underneath his helmet.  
Kylo frowned. ‘It’s not like that!’  
‘It’s more spiritual,’ agreed Kuruk, knowingly. ‘You are connected by the Force.’  
‘Something like that,’ muttered Kylo, not wanting to go into details. He started back towards Rey, ‘I won’t be long.’  
‘Of course you won’t, not when she looks like that,’ commented Vicrul, earning him a hard stare from his leader. Laughing and joking about their Leader’s relationship with the last Jedi, the Knights made their way back over to the temple, and Kylo went back over to where Rey was waiting patiently for him.  
‘What was that all about?’ she asked him, not having quite caught the gist of the conversation.  
‘You wouldn’t want to know,’ he said vaguely, ‘the Knights are not especially civilised.’  
‘Why am I not surprised?’  
‘Come on,’ said Ben, suddenly feeling weary after his exertions. The trip to Lothal had been a last minute decision, the culmination of months and months of searching for clues to the whereabouts of the holocron that had finally coalesced in his mind during a moment of meditation. Then it had been a whirlwind of activity; getting here, finding the holocron, defeating the Acolytes. Bumping into Rey. It seemed more than a coincidence that she was here too.  
The rain seemed to have lessened now that the lightning storm had passed over, but the ground underfoot was treacherous and boggy. Neither Rey or Ben talked as they walked along, both uncertain as to their relationship with each other. They were enemies, that was clear, but there was something else that kept bringing, no pulling them together. What that was remained a mystery.  
Eventually, the dim lights of the Falcon appeared in the distance, and Rey saw that she had not been that far off course. It was surprising how different everything looked in the darkness. What she thought had been a small clump of trees seemed much larger from the opposite direction.  
‘I’ll leave you here,’ said Ben softly, reluctant to let her go but knowing equally that he found it difficult to be around her. The effect that she had on him was intense, pulling his emotions in all directions. As she looked at him, trying to think of something to say, all he could focus on was her lips. Perhaps it had been the crude talk of the Knights getting into his head, but he longed to kiss her. Don’t be an idiot, he told himself and quickly looked away.  
For Rey too, the grudging attraction that she had for him was at war with her harsher feelings. The walk had given her time to reflect on what happened, and it was evident that despite her best efforts to believe the worst of him, Ben had actually saved her life. And in front of his Knights too. It was not something that she could dismiss as a one-off. He hadn’t attempted to kill her, and although he had joked about it, he hadn’t captured her either. It was becoming very hard to maintain the idea that he wanted to destroy her, when all the evidence pointed to the contrary.  
But she was not about to admit her feelings to Ben. Thinking it was best to keep things simple, after a cursory farewell, she left him standing in the rain and disappeared up the ramp into the Falcon. It was only when she was back safely onboard that she remembered she had forgotten to ask him what was in the holocron.

Back on the Steadfast, Kylo Ren went straight to his quarters, commanding that no one disturb him. His officers, disturbed by his wet and bedraggled appearance, thought that he was in the grip of one of his strange passions and, wisely, kept far away.  
Putting the holocron down on a low table, Ben searched for hours through all his books, looking for any clues, however slight, as to how he might open it up. He was beginning to lose all hope of finding anything, when, finally, in an obscure tome, he found a tantalising reference that Sith holocrons - for he had decided that’s what it was due to its design - could only be opened by channelling the dark side. How that was done the book did not describe and Ben was uncertain. Did he want to go further into the dark?  
Perhaps he wouldn’t have cared before. But now he had re-connected with Rey, and the constant struggle between the light and dark in his soul had worsened. She was the light to his darkness, she had to be, just as Snoke had claimed.  
To extinguish the light might be damning himself forever.  
And he couldn’t do it. Not when there was still the smallest bit of hope that Rey might eventually come round to his way of thinking.  
But he still had to get the holocron open.

The planet Ossus, part of the Adega system, loomed outside the cockpit window, swirls of orange-tinged cloud obscuring the bands of its jewel-green surface. It existed alone, far from the other planets in its small system, also moon-less. Pushing the series of levers that would begin the Falcon’s descent into its atmosphere, Rey watched as the Falcon responded to her commands. After her experiences on Lothal, she felt much better after a long sleep in the crew’s quarters; as soon as she had got into the ship and peeled off her wet clothes, Chewie had ushered her in there, encouraging her to rest. For a long time, she had lain in the cot, shivering uncontrollably from the cold and from fear, remembering the feel of the knife against her neck. But she also remembered Ben’s lack of hesitation to kill the Acolyte that had threatened her, his genuine concern for her safety. It was not unexpected - after all he had saved her life before - but it was a timely reminder of the depth of his feelings for her. The fact that the feared Knights of Ren had also shown little interest in her presence suggested to her that his connection with her was already known to them.  
Perhaps they even knew that he cared for her?  
Pushing such thoughts to one side, Rey concentrated what she was doing, bringing the Falcon down smoothly towards the planet’s surface. She recalled what she had learned about the planet before she had left Ajan Kloss. Colonised by the Jedi thousands of years ago, Ossus had once been famed for the wisdom that had emerged from its many enclaves and temples. Later, the Great Library had been built to contain the most important tomes written by Jedi scribes over the Order’s long history. But much of it had been destroyed in the wars between the Jedi and the Sith, the ravages of the Empire further reducing the planet to a barren, toxic landscape. Freed after the Battle of Endor, the planet was thriving in relative solitude. As the Falcon entered into the upper atmosphere, Rey could see the planet was mountainous, covered in thick, untamed forests. What few settlements existed were hidden well away. Despite its beauty, Rey nonetheless could feel a disturbance in the Force somewhere close by as the ship skimmed over the mountains, suggesting that not all was well.  
Glancing at her, Chewbacca growled softly.  
‘Yes, you would never know it had been ruined,’ Rey said, marvelling at the lush foliage and soaring peaks of the scenery. A sudden realisation hit her, ’You must have seen so much change in your life, Chewie.’  
The Wookie mewed softly, saying that from his perspective, nothing ever really changed. The same problems endured across the centuries. Before the Empire there had been the battles between the Jedi and the Sith, then the Empire had come along, only to be defeated for the First Order to rise in its place. The eternal fight between good and evil.  
‘But the Old Republic lasted for thousands of years before it was destroyed by the Empire,’ said Rey thoughtfully, ‘why didn’t the New Republic survive?’  
As he initiated the final sequence for landing, Chewbacca explained that in his opinion, the period of turbulence after the fall of Sidious was taken advantage of by the First Order because the Republic did not deal decisively with the Empire following the Battle of Endor.  
As the Falcon came to a graceful landing at the base of a mountain, Rey realised that Chewbacca’s experience would be enormously useful to Poe and the Resistance leaders. ‘What do you think we could learn from that?’  
Leaning back in his chair now that the landing was complete, Chewbacca admitted that he was no expert but on Kashyyyk, wrongdoers had to pay a penance to the rest of the community, usually in the form of good deeds or reparations to the community, family or individual that they had wronged. In contrast, the Republic had imprisoned or killed the remaining Imperials. They were not rehabilitated into society or encouraged to repay their wrongdoing with deeds of kindness. In Chewbacca’s opinion, kindness, and love, was necessary for healing to begin. Bad deeds that were not transformed into acts of love only festered and the hatred remained.  
As she listened intently, Rey was reminded of something that Finn had said Rose told him, we will win by saving what we love. She was equally inspired by the wisdom in Chewie’s words. The Force had been unbalanced by the actions of the Sith, and the galaxy barely given the chance to recover from the fear and hatred Sidious had fostered before the First Order appeared. It had festered and the First Order had taken advantage of it.  
‘We can’t let them win,’ she said softly, looking out onto the tranquil scene in front of them. ‘We can’t let hate win.’ This was more for herself than anything else. If there was one thing that recent events had shown her, the long buried feelings of fear and anger that she carried with her were her weak point. She had to overcome these to be the Jedi warrior the galaxy needed.  
On Ajan Kloss, she had looked through Luke’s journal and eventually found a map of Ossus, showing the location of various caves that were potential sources of Force powerful crystals. With Chewbacca’s help, she worked out their location was close to one of the largest caves, encircled in red in Luke’s journal. There was a note written next to it, Took Ben to find his crystal. Ben had intense vision, said there were strange creatures in the dark. It felt strange to be following in Luke and Ben’s footsteps but it helped to know that Ben had faced the things in the dark and survived.  
Bidding goodbye to Chewie, she set off into the mountains, seeking the cave. There was no suggestion of scale on the map in Luke’s journal and she ended up walking for hours, climbing higher and higher. The mountains were rugged but easy-going, there were plenty of paths to take through the dense forests and streams of sparkling water where she could stop to have a rest and a cool drink. From time to time, she saw evidence of wildlife; a delicate looking, four legged creature with branching horns looked up from the plant it was grazing to stare at her before it sprang off into the forest. Birds called prettily to each other in the high tree tops, and occasionally she saw a flash of brown and blue feathers.  
Soon she was above the tree line and, pausing, she looked down. She had come a long way; she could just see the Falcon, a tiny dot below her. As she turned to continue her search, it was then that she felt something new coming to her through the Force. A suggestion of secrets, of great wisdom lost for generations. It was calling to her. Climbing further, her surroundings started to change. There was much less fauna here, the path formed out of bare rock. The easy climb was replaced with steeper, scree covered paths that were hard-going, but not impossible, winding around the side of the mountain. Once these would have been used continuously by the Jedi who lived up here, now the silence was overwhelming.  
Coming around an outcrop of battered rock, Rey saw the remains of a temple, partially carved out of the rock face ahead of her. Two huge statues, their faces worn away by the passage of time, stood guard beside a single entrance leading into the depths of the mountain. Symbols were carved along the top of the entrance, representing an ancient language. Running over to it, being careful not to stumble on the rocky path, she took out Luke’s journal from her bag. Turning to the map, she saw ‘Jedi temple’ marked on it. Peering into the entrance, it was too dark to see anything although she could hear the steady drip of water coming from somewhere. Taking out her lightsaber, she ignited the blade and went inside, finding herself in a large chamber, many storeys high, a natural cave that had been adapted by the Jedi. The chamber was empty now, although she could see carvings and the remains of paintings higher up on the walls, most of which had faded or been ruined by running water. As she looked around, traces of the past came to her through the Force. Once there had been wooden walkways running around the walls higher up, and small niches at various intervals provided space for relics or statues. Corridors carved out of the rock ran deeper into the mountain to yet more chambers, the remains of stairs leading downwards to reach the subterranean levels below. She felt the presence of Jedi who had been there before her. Visions of Luke, exploring the temple alone. Investigating the lower levels that were now lost to the darkness.  
Then the visions faded and she was back in the echoing, lonely chamber. Stumbling outside, she felt a chill wind creeping up into the mountains, the sun having disappeared behind thick clouds. Consulting the map, she saw that there was not far to go to reach the cave and she felt her trepidation rising. Climbing higher and higher, eventually Rey came to the end of the path. Before her rose impregnable rock. Within the rock, barely visible, was the mouth of the cave, a dark slash that had been gouged out by some long-forgotten event. Something wasn’t right, she could feel intense cold emanating from the cave, colder than the wind that whispered around her. It was a place that was strong in the dark side.  
Here we are Ben, you will find your crystal here.  
She heard Luke’s voice from the past, and she pictured him standing where she was now. There was a young man stood next to him, waiting to go inside, He was tall and slender, with dark, wavy hair and serious eyes. Dressed in off-white Jedi robes, a simple tie belt around his waist.  
But how will I know it’s the right one? Ben asked, sounding brave but she could sense the fear deep inside him.  
You will know, Luke said gently, placing his hand on Ben’s shoulder. It will call to you. But beware the darkness.  
How will I know the difference?  
The Force will guide you, said Luke, remember the exercises we learned together. Open your heart and your mind.  
Taking a deep breath, Rey remembered that in order to find the right crystal she would need to face her deepest fears. Not only face them, but confront them and overcome them. If the test was successful, it would be the final stage in becoming a Jedi knight. But Rey knew that the patchiness of her own, cobbled together training would not have prepared her properly for the real Jedi trails. In the circumstances, it was the best she could do.  
Stepping into the cave opening, Rey plunged into darkness. It surrounded her immediately, so palpable she could almost touch it. Fumbling with the switch on her lightsaber, Rey ignited it, revealing a mysterious world hidden within the mountains. The path through the cave sloped gently downwards. Either side were fantastical rock formations, glowing faintly in the light of her weapon. Pools of water collected at their base; within these pools bright sparkles caught the light, tiny crystals growing at the water’s edge.  
As she walked on, Rey could sense something living in the cave, something that scuttled in the darkness at the fringes. Recalling her vision, she kept to the path. There were many times she would have liked to look more closely at some of the crystal formations that grew alongside it. They were spectacular colours, ambers and reds, even blues. Some sprouted thickly from the cave roof, others spiralled thinly upwards from the floor. But she did not dare leave the path.  
She walked deeper into the cave. The atmosphere was so damp, she could feel the moisture within every breath she took. The crystals were becoming more abundant, clinging tight to the rocks, glistening as the mineral-heavy water dropped incessantly from the roof. Yet somehow Rey knew that she was not deep enough yet. The thought flittered through her mind that the crystals here were barely luminous. They had not nearly enough power within them to power a lightsaber.  
From somewhere to the side of her came a loud squeal. Startled, she cast the light of her weapon around the outer walls of the cave but she could not see anything.  
Wait a minute… did that shadow move?  
She inched along carefully, her lightsaber roving ceaselessly about. But whatever it was in the cave with her did not make an appearance. It was so quiet she could hear her own breathing, unnaturally loud in her ears.  
There was another sound to her left, a lower more guttural sound. Without warning, a creature launched itself at her, all flying legs and bright, hungry eyes. Jumping backwards, Rey swiped the lightsaber where she sensed its body should be. The creature collapsed with a terrible squawk, sliced neatly in half, its legs scattering onto the ground in a pool of toxic ooze.  
‘Urgh.’ Rey stared at the bloated, bulbous body, covered in thick, scaly hide and carried on six spindly legs. Two black eyes stared back at her, dimly. She poked at it with her foot but the creature did not move. Whatever it was, it was safely dead. Neither did any more creatures bother her, clearly she had established that she was a threat to them.  
As she got deeper into the cave, the glow from the crystals was strong enough to be able to put the weapon away. Walking along, she marvelled at her surroundings, feeling privileged to be in the midst of such beauty. The walls of the cave were narrower here and almost entirely covered in sparkling crystals, blinding in their intensity. Ahead she could see an archway. Sensing that this was the source of the power emanating from the deepest recesses of the caves, Rey continued on beneath it and emerged into a vast, open chamber. At its centre was a jagged and twisted pillar of sinuous rock stretching from ceiling to floor, every inch covered in crystals. Around the outer walls, clumps of crystals grew upwards from the cave floor, looking like complex, spiky plants. They were everywhere. But so was the creeping cold. There was no life in this part of the cave; even the creatures did not dare to enter.  
Carefully, Rey headed over to the crystal at the centre, the source of the power. The crystals pulsated softly, the light inside them shifting and fleeting. Within them she saw visions, glimpses of faces, fleeting shadows moving beneath their surface. We know what you need, said a voice, a fleeting whisper in her head… you are struggling…we can help you… Despite the voice, she moved closer to the light. It filled her senses, shutting out everything else. Inside it, she could see a vision forming. Two people, a man and a woman, climbing down a sand-filled tunnel into a large, open courtyard. They were scavengers looking for precious metals or items that they could trade, she could tell from their clothes and the large bags they were carrying. Entering one of the corridors leading off from the courtyard, the couple come to a large, octagonal chamber filled with precious relics of all kinds; armour, wall hangings with arcane symbols, scrolls and books, all well preserved in the arid conditions. But the scavengers were drawn to something else. A curved knife, standing alone atop a cabinet, ancient runes carved along its blade. She could hear faint whispers, voices calling to them to take it. But something wasn’t right. The scavengers picked up the knife. She wanted to warn them, to tell them no, don’t take it but then the vision faded and Rey found herself back in the caves, staring at the crystals.  
Who were those two scavengers? They had to be important to her story.  
Rey, those are your parents.  
Before she could work out where the voice came from, she heard a shout. Someone crying out in pain. It sounded like Finn. But how could it be? Confused, Rey ran out of the chamber, looking back along the path. In the distance she could see someone lying on the ground.  
‘No!’  
Running over, she saw that it was Finn. He lay still, as if asleep. Dropping to her knees, she placed her hand on his forehead, felt his wrist for a pulse. But there was no sign of life. His skin was cold. ‘Finn?’ Tears streamed down her cheeks. Who did this?  
Hearing a sound behind her, she stood up to see a figure approaching. A slight figure, dressed in a long, dark surcoat. Its rancour and malevolence burned into her soul.  
Rey… Rey…  
The voice was female. Her voice.  
Terror rose inside her as the figure came closer. Soon she could see the face beneath the hood. It was her face, but pale and drawn, the cheekbones prominent. Its eyes were burning with a sickly yellow light, two flames in the darkness.  
‘Why fear me, Rey?’ asked the dark figure softly, pulling out its lightsaber. ‘Don’t be afraid of who you are.’  
Taking her lightsaber from her belt, Rey ignited it and held firm against the spectre, ‘You are not me.’  
The doppelgänger smiled wolfishly, ‘I am you. You when you have embraced your power and realised your true destiny!’  
With a savage cry, the dark vision ignited her lightsaber, a double-ended red blade that fizzed and hummed with lethal energy. Then she sprung forward to engage Rey. The clash of their weapons was fierce and Rey could barely hold her own against the cloaked figure. She met each attack desperately, swinging her lightsaber with every ounce of energy she possessed. But the doppelgänger was relentless and Rey found herself faltering. Finally the dark version of herself pushed her backwards so hard she fell heavily onto the floor of the cave, dropping her lightsaber.  
Dark Rey stood over her, gloating, the red blade held inches away from her throat. ‘You are strong, but you have not yet reached your full potential. Embrace the dark and you will find your true power.’  
Then she vanished.  
With a gasp, Rey sat up, gulping the freezing air into her lungs. Her head swam giddily. She was back in the large chamber, alone. Something was irritating her hand, her fingers clasped tightly around it. Unclenching her fingers, she saw a crystal lying in her palm, glowing with a strong yellow light. She had been holding it so tightly it had cut into her hand. As she sat staring at it, she heard Luke’s voice say clearly, That’s it, Ben. The crystal lies at the heart of the blade. It channels the Force. As does the heart of the Jedi.


	6. Finn and Rose go to the Sinta Glacier colony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Finn visit Boolio at the Sinta Glacier colony and find out that there is a spy within the First Order (okay so this is very similar to the film but I liked this part of the plot).

‘There it is.’  
Finn looked out of the cockpit window, impressed by the sight in front of them. A huge chunk of ice, floating in space that had been caught in the gravitational pull of the nearby Sinta star. ‘It was part of a comet?’  
‘Millions of years ago,’ said Rose, who was sat in the co-pilot’s chair beside him. ‘Now it’s a mining colony, extracting malsarr from the ice.’ She checked the scopes as they got closer, ‘Time to land.’  
‘Let’s hope Boolio is here to meet us on time.’ Finn had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, putting it down to reports of increased First Order activity in this part of the system. They had taken a spruced-up cruiser rather than one of the more recognisable Resistance ships, but still Finn felt jittery as they reached the mine’s entrance.  
Boolio was the mine’s overseer, a friendly and funny Ovissian, who had been secretly supporting the Resistance for years. He was a mine of information (a joke that both Finn and Poe still thought was hilarious), and had managed to build up several contacts within the notoriously closed First Order. Despite several attempts, Poe had not managed to get him to reveal his sources, but he valued Boolio’s support highly. It was Finn and Rose’s first visit to the colony, and Poe had warned them that Boolio was both incredibly loquacious and easily distracted, which sometimes made it difficult to extract information from him quickly.  
Finn and Rose steered the ship towards a large set of hangar doors, waiting for the airlock to open. As soon as it had, their cruiser swung into a large chamber that was designed for making repairs to the ships that carried the malsarr to its eventual destination. Red lights indicated that the atmosphere was not yet breathable and they waited until the large doors behind them closed, sealing the chamber. The lights turned to green and a smaller door to the side opened, their contact, Boolio emerging to stand at the side of a landing platform, waiting for them. He was a jolly looking fellow, with four horns, two large and two small, framing a square, green-skinned face. He was dressed in a brown work-suit, highly utilitarian and suited to the low temperatures that workers on the glacier had to endure.  
As Rose inched the ship closer towards the platform, Finn went to open the hatch in the ship’s roof and was greeted by Boolio’s cheerful face, ‘How’s it going?’  
‘Very good,’ replied Boolio, crouching down and handing Finn a data-transfer hose. ‘I’ve made a new contact. Someone who claims to be high up in the First Order.’  
‘Really?’ Finn wondered who that might be. Grabbing the hose, he called to R2-D2, who was sat patiently waiting to the side of the main cabin. ‘Alright, Artoo.’ As the droid trundled over, Finn pushed the end of the hose into its body and the data transfer process started. He looked back up at Boolio, ‘Any idea who it is?’  
‘None at all,’ smiled the Ovissian, ‘but it’s someone high-ranking, judging by the ciphers. Could be someone as far up as the High Command.’  
‘Could be any of them,’ said Finn, mulling it over. ‘Most of them hate Kylo Ren.’  
‘Can’t think why.’   
‘Are you sure you can trust them?’  
‘Not yet, but have a look at the data they’ve sent. See what you think.’ Boolio had another thought, ‘Oh, there was something else.’ Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a data-pad and threw it down to Finn, who caught it deftly. ‘Serial numbers and information about those troops that defected on Coruscant.’  
‘Thanks.’ He glanced at the packet, ‘Any ideas how we get through the blockade?’  
‘Not personally,’ grinned Boolio, ‘but there might be something in that data you’re sticking into your droid. I’ve not had time to read it myself.’  
‘You’re still busy?’  
Before Boolio could answer, there was a shout from behind him from one of his assistants. ‘First Order ships approaching!’  
‘Sounds like someone’s got wind of you being here,’ said Boolio urgently, ‘how’s that droid doing?’  
‘How much longer, Artoo?’ Finn looked at the droid with concern, from the cockpit he could feel Rose’s sense of growing unease.  
‘Finn?’  
‘Nearly there,’ he called back to her. ‘Right, Artoo?’  
Artoo beeped and the data hose popped out of its body, ready to return to Boolio. Pulling it out, Finn watched as the hose disappeared out of the top hatch. ‘Thanks Boolio!’  
‘No problem. See you soon!’ the Ovissian’s face disappeared as the top hatch shut, Finn already racing back to the cockpit.  
‘Let’s get out of here,’ he said to Rose as he ran into the cockpit, leaping into the pilot’s seat.  
‘Already going,’ she replied, engaging the initiation sequence and skilfully manoeuvring the ship out of the hangar as the airlock doors opened, allowing them back into open space. Immediately they were confronted by the sight of eight enemy TIE fighters streaming towards them, requiring evasive action. Finn pushed the ship into a steep dive, narrowly avoiding the streak of red laser heading towards them. But this ship was nowhere near as flexible or capable as the Falcon and the systems groaned heavily, fighting against the unnatural flight pattern.   
‘Cannons are on line,’ said Rose, checking all shields were functioning properly, the anxiety rising in her chest. ‘Can we get out of this?’  
‘We can,’ said Finn optimistically, taking the ship into another sharp descent as two of the TIEs screamed after them, ‘you concentrate on hitting those targets.’  
Focusing, Rose aimed the guns, waiting until the TIEs were in range and pressed the button. Immediately, two missiles streaked out of the back of the ship, locking onto the enemy fighters and dispatching both of them simultaneously.  
‘Great!’ yelled Finn, pushing the ship as fast as it would go away from the colony. He knew that Rose had spent hours modifying the relatively small and light cruiser, equipping it with more effective firepower and shielding than its original owners had intended. This was its first real test.  
The ship was buffeted by enemy fire from two more of the TIEs, severely damaging the rear left shield. Red lights started bleeping on the console. Rose ignored them, concentrating on bringing the next set of missiles into range. Release… and another two TIEs were incinerated. But there were still four left and they were determined to obliterate the ship before it could make the jump to light speed.  
‘It’s no good,’ said Rose, as another round of laser pelted the ship, causing another light to start bleeping on the console in front of her. ‘The missiles take too long, we need to use the guns.’  
‘Okay,’ getting out of his seat, Finn left the piloting to Rose and raced to a small gun turret that was incorporated into the bottom of the cruiser. Strapping himself in, he quickly brought the guns on-line, feeling the ship lurching drunkenly as Rose sought to avoid their dogged pursuers. Then it was a relatively simple task of lining up the ships in the scopes but there was something else. He felt a new presence in his mind, the sense that he could reach outside of the ship and anticipate the movements of the pilots.   
Another of the shields had gone and Rose was starting to get desperate. Outside the window, two more of the TIEs were obliterated by Finn’s expert shooting but the final two simply did not want to give up, despite losing their comrades. Rose wondered if they were too scared to return to the First Order empty-handed, that they had to keep going because death was preferable to facing the wrath of their commanders. ‘Come on, Finn,’ she whispered, pouring all her hope into him.  
In the turret, Finn pumped a load of laser into one of the TIEs, feeling relief as it vanished in a swirl of particles. There was only one left now. As the ship came round for another pass, he relaxed, reaching out, letting the Force guide him. The scopes bleeped at him but he knew it wasn’t the right time. Not yet. The TIE was getting closer, he could feel the pilot pressing down on the controls. But then the ship disappeared, blown to smithereens. Finn smiled, barely able to believe what had happened. He had pushed his own controls without thinking, just at the right time. Undoing his straps, he headed back to the cockpit, just in time to see the familiar streaks of hyperspace appear.  
‘That was close.’ Rose finally allowed herself to breathe. ‘One more hit on the front shields and we would have been pulverised.’  
Finn collapsed into the pilot’s chair. ‘Good thing you souped this baby up.’  
‘Rey helped,’ said Rose, leaning back in her chair, ‘I don’t know how she does it, it’s like she can be one with the ship.’  
Finn smiled. ‘I can’t wait to see her when we get back. I wonder how she’s getting on.’


	7. Rey goes to Jakku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her vision in the cave on Ossus, Rey goes back to Jakku to get the truth out of Unkar Plutt about her parents. Going to visit their graves, she meets an old lady who tells her some interesting revelations about her connection with the Force.

It was getting dark by the time Rey returned to the Falcon, and Chewbacca greeted her anxiously, wondering how she had fared in the mountains. Reaching into her bag, she showed him the crystal. He took it in his giant paw, studying it carefully. Then he growled softly, asking her if the tiny thing really powered a lightsaber?  
‘Yes.’ She smiled, finally allowing herself to relax. Then she said, ‘When I was in the cave I had a vision of my parents on Jakku. I saw who they were.’  
Chewbacca mewed, he knew how important Rey’s lost family were to her.  
‘I know this might be a lot to ask, but can we go to Jakku before we return to Ajan Kloss?’ She looked at Chewbacca hesitantly, uncertain herself whether she wanted to open up old wounds again.  
The Wookie ushered her into the ship, saying that Jakku was out of the way but if she needed to go there to find out more about her parents, he would support her decision. After all, he said as they entered the cockpit, no one had to know how long it had taken her to find the crystal.  
Rey smiled with relief, ‘Thanks, Chewie.’ She took the pilot’s seat, settling herself into it comfortably. As she entered the co-ordinates for Jakku, she heard the ghost of laughter, the high-pitched giggle of a child. ‘What was that?’  
Pausing from his work, Chewbacca looked at her blankly. He had not heard anything out of the ordinary.  
‘I heard a child. Laughing,’ said Rey, thinking she must be going mad. The visions were increasing, haunting her in the day as well as at night.  
Chewie growled, reminding her that there had been no children in the Falcon since Ben was young. He told her that Ben had liked to play in the cockpit when he thought his father wasn’t looking, as well as when he knew his father was looking.   
Rey went quiet. It had never occurred to her that Chewbacca not only knew Ben, but would have known him as a child before the darkness took hold. ‘What was Ben like? Before he turned?’  
Chewbacca laughed, explaining that on Kashyyyk, Ben was known as a spirited child, born of the wind. He had always been in some mischief or other, annoying Han by fiddling with the Falcon ’s controls or trying to take Threepio apart to see how the droid worked. But his most favourite thing was to be bounced around on Chewie’s shoulders, he would always shriek with delight and demand more.  
Listening intently, Rey could not imagine the taciturn and stern Kylo Ren being bounced about on Chewbacca’s shoulders. Although she had seen flashes of humour in his manner, she had barely seen him raise a genuine smile. It made her realise the price that Ben had paid for turning to the dark side. He had been isolated from his family and friends, encouraged to dwell on his feelings of anger and pain in order to increase his strength and power.   
Chewie sensed her mood. He wondered what Snoke had said to Ben to encourage him to turn to the dark side.  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Rey, realising that she had never thought to ask Ben the same question. As far as she knew, Luke’s betrayal had been the catalyst but as Luke said, Snoke had already turned Ben’s heart. She remembered the cave on Ahch-To. She had been drawn to it because it offered her something she needed. What had Ben needed so badly that he had turned his back on his family?

It took a few hours to reach Jakku, the Falcon landing near Niima Outpost. Considering that Unkar Plutt might still think the Falcon was his, Chewbacca thought it prudent that he stayed with the ship. Rey would have liked Chewie to come with her, thinking his presence may have helped intimidate her former guardian, but she set across the flat landscape purposefully, determined not to let Unkar Plutt fob her off about her parents. She wanted to know the truth and she was going to get it.   
Reaching the market place, she was not surprised to see that very little had changed since she had last been on Jakku. The cleaning stations were full of scavengers working on their finds, the same market stalls selling the same goods to the same residents and travellers. Her arrival caused a stir amongst the many stall-holders, however, especially when they saw the lightsaber that hung from her belt. Soon everyone at Niima Outpost knew that Rey had returned, and was carrying a Jedi’s weapon no less.  
At the centre of the marketplace, the metal shutters on Plutt’s concession stand were pulled down despite it being the middle of the day. It was unusual but Rey was undaunted. Striding up to the stand she banged loudly on the shutters. That caused a stir too - everyone knew that unless the shutters were open, you did not approach Plutt’s stand. Normal activity was suspended, everyone waiting with baited breath to see what would happen.  
At first there was no response. Lifting her hand, Rey banged loudly again, also shaking the shutters for good measure. Finally she could hear someone moving about inside, followed by loud cursing. A small smile played on her lips thinking that she had woken him up from his rest but by the time Plutt had opened the shutters, she had adopted a sterner expression.  
Annoyed by the intrusion, Plutt had opened his mouth ready to give whoever it was a mouthful of abuse, but seeing it was Rey he clamped it shut again.  
‘Hello Plutt,’ she said, fixing him with a hard stare. She wondered if a Jedi mind trick would work on him if she needed it. Plutt looked less powerful then he had once seemed to her - he looked ill, his flabby skin grey and greasy.  
‘Rey,’ Plutt’s mouth flapped open and shut uselessly. He contemplated closing the shutters but he could see that Rey meant business. ‘I thought you’d left Jakku?’  
‘I have.’ Rey regarded him coolly, the master who had mistreated her for many years, taking advantage of her when she had been young and naive, terrified after being abandoned by her parents. ‘I need to know why my parents left me with you.’  
Visibly flustered, Plutt tried to deny that he had any knowledge of what she was talking about. ‘As I told you, girl, I know as much about them as you do. They were junk traders who were down on their luck. They left you with me when they went scavenging one day, but then they died out in the desert. I took care of you when you had no one else. That’s it.’  
‘Let me get two things straight. I’m not a girl,’ said Rey quickly, ‘and I know you’re lying. They sold me to you and I want to know why.’  
‘Who have you been talking to?’ Plutt could see that Rey wasn’t going to leave without a proper answer. But he could also see that the typically noisy marketplace had fallen silent, its inhabitants watching the drama play out in front of them. It was unusual that anyone came back to Niima Outpost once they left, but to see Rey face up to Plutt was rare drama indeed, a change from their tediously repetitious lives.  
‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Rey firmly, ‘I want to know the truth.’  
‘Okay, I’ll tell you the truth.’ Seeing that there was no way to get Rey to leave quietly, he would have to placate her somehow. ‘But not out here. You’ll have to come in.’  
It was unprecedented. Rey had never been inside Plutt’s concession stand before. Only his most trusted henchmen were invited inside. Before Rey had made her home inside a fallen AT-AT walker, she had been forced to sleep outside in the marketplace. She had never forgotten the terrible nights she spent as a young child barely sleeping, terrified of the nighttime horrors and predators of the desert.  
Making her way around to the back of the stand, Rey listened outside the metal door as inside, Plutt wheezed and stomped over to it and unlocked it. Immediately, a terrible smell hit her nose, of stale air and rotten something. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she entered. Immediately she saw boxes and boxes filled with food rations stacked neatly along one wall, enough to keep the entire community of Niima Outpost going for months, even years. It disgusted her that one being, Plutt, could have this much control over others’ lives. It was not just the First Order that oppressed the galaxy. On a small scale, beings like Plutt wielded their own terrible power.  
‘Take a seat.’ Plutt indicated a small stool where she could sit but Rey declined.   
‘I’d rather stand,’ she said sourly. Besides the boxes of rations there was junk everywhere, bits of droid, ship, and unknown machinery littering the floor, and piled high onto the shelves.  
Plutt merely shrugged. ‘Your choice.’ He lowered his heavy bulk into a large chair. It was patched and torn; like many of the things in Plutt’s life, it had been ruined in the harsh environment. ‘Well, what do you want to know?’  
‘Why my parents sold me to you.’ She sounded calm but inside Rey was trembling. She didn’t want Ben to be right. Hopefully there was another explanation as to why her parents had left her with Plutt and Ben had been mistaken. Please…  
Plutt shrugged. ‘I knew your parents well. They were junk traders, as I said. Not good ones, they were too lazy for that. Liked a drink too much. Then you came along. From what I gather you were a mistake.’ Plutt wheezed with mirth but he could see that Rey was not impressed. ‘That’s when things really started to go wrong for them.’  
‘What do you mean?’  
‘They found something out in the desert, near the Plaintive Hand. A dagger, I recall. It was a beautiful piece, ancient. But strange things started to happen.’ When Rey looked puzzled he shrugged, ‘It soon got a reputation as something strange… evil. They took it back to where they found it but it was too late. It drove them mad.’ He shrugged as if he hardly cared. ‘It was a tragedy.’  
‘And they sold me to you?’  
Plutt nodded. ‘They’d been drinking all day and were desperate to continue, to blot out whatever that knife showed them. They disappeared soon after - no one ever saw them alive again.’  
Rey’s lip trembled, tears were threatening, but she did not want Plutt to see her cry. Ben had been right, he had seen into her memories and extracted the truth that she had been too afraid to face up to. She pulled herself together, drawing on her anger. ‘Why did you agree to it? What was in it for you?’  
‘I needed help,’ said Plutt nonchalantly, ‘you were young and… mouldable. A bit stubborn but you had your uses.’ He saw the coldness in her eyes and he frowned, ‘What - you think you would have had a better life with your parents? You would have died with them, or been forced to sell yourself to the Hutts. You had a much better life with me, girl, whether you like it nor not.’  
‘I don’t believe that,’ spat Rey, she could hardly speak. Here he was trying to justify keeping her half starved and fearful.  
Plutt shook his head. ‘You were thin and dirty when I took you on, you hadn’t eaten properly in weeks. You could barely speak. With me, you learnt to be resourceful, to look after yourself and to earn your place in life. And now look at you.’ His eyes lingered on the lightsaber at her belt.  
‘It was nothing to do with you.’ Rey was confused, he sounded almost proud. He remembered things in a different way to her, as if he had been responsible for her determination and grit.  
‘You think so? My girl, you could have had all of this, if you’d stayed here,’ Plutt went on, gesturing around him. ‘I would have passed it onto you. My empire…’  
‘Your empire?’ Rey spat, thinking he was delirious. ‘What’s that exactly? A market stall on a nowhere, half-forgotten planet? A place that no one comes to if they can help it?’  
Plutt laughed. ‘It’s more than that, girl. It’s the power to decide life and death. Who gets the most rations.’ He looked her up and down. ‘Surely you, a Jedi, understand the importance of power?’  
‘The Jedi used their power wisely…’  
‘They did?’ He laughed again, ‘Then tell me. Why are they extinct?’  
‘Where are they buried?’ She didn’t want to listen to him anymore, her anger was starting to get the better of her.  
‘Your parents? Near the Goazon Badlands. That’s where the bodies were found.’  
Without saying another word, Rey stalked out of the stall unable to look at Plutt’s smug expression for much longer. She knew that people told themselves stories, or convinced themselves that the opposite was true in order to cope with, or exonerate themselves from, things they had done but Plutt’s lack of remorse or empathy for her situation was unbelievable. It was like he was gloating, enjoying making her feel uncomfortable. Still, she had the information she needed.  
Telling Chewbacca that she was going to look for her parents’ burial place, she headed out into the desert, needing time alone. Chewbacca had offered to come with her but she preferred to work through her conflicting emotions by herself. Although the sun was beating down, she had come prepared and it was not long before she reached the fringes of the Badlands, just beyond the place which she had once called home.   
Endless wilderness confronted her. It was like looking for a malfunctioning wire in a hyperdrive motivator. Closing her eyes, she reached out with the Force, feeling a pull towards the north. Following her instincts, she soon came across a flatter area of land, marked out with rows of simple memorials. Some carved in wood, others mere stones laying on the ground. Could this be where her parents were buried? Suddenly, a wave of emotions washed over her - despair, anger, disappointment - the remnants of the trauma she had never been able to face up to. Sinking to her knees, she allowed herself to cry, to face the truth that her parents were not brave or noble but two people who had struggled with the reality of their harsh life on Jakku. Perhaps they had sold her in a moment of weakness? Perhaps they had regretted it soon after but Plutt had refused to give her back? Now she would never know the truth.  
‘I forgive you,’ she whispered to the sand, to her parents, wherever they were now. As she sat, her tears continuing to fall, her vision began to shift and blur, and her surroundings grew dark.

There were two people, a man and a woman, thin and ragged looking. Dressed in dirty clothing. They were digging into the dirt underneath a tiled floor with their hands, fearful and desperate. When the hole was large enough, they dropped an elaborate looking knife into it, before covering it over. Replacing the tile over the dirt, they stood up to leave and…

‘Hello?’  
The voice came from behind her, startling her out of her trance. Turning around, Rey saw an old lady coming towards her, dressed in the simple plain robes of a desert dweller. Wiping her eyes, Rey stood up and went over to meet her.  
‘Sorry my dear,’ the old lady began when they reached each other, ‘I didn’t mean to interrupt you.’  
‘It’s okay,’ said Rey, smiling weakly, ‘I was leaving anyway.’  
‘I was surprised to see you,’ continued the old woman, her green eyes bright and searching in her tanned and wrinkled face. Her white hair was cropped short, strands peeping out from underneath her dark grey headscarf. ‘Hardly anyone comes up here, you see. Especially not a Jedi.’  
‘Oh, the lightsaber.’ Rey looked down at it, ‘I’d hardly call myself a Jedi.’  
‘But you are strong in the Force,’ continued the woman, looking her up and down.  
‘As are you,’ remarked Rey, seeing the waves of light rippling out around her.  
‘Yes. But it has never done me any good.’   
‘Why?’ Jakku was home to many diverse communities, including religious communities that worshipped the Force. Surely it would not have been that unusual.  
The woman sighed, ‘I can sense things, people’s feelings, desires, sometimes even their futures. Sometimes people want to know, but only if it’s positive. Most of the time people shun me because of it.’  
‘You live alone?’  
The woman nodded. ‘Not far from here. I do what I can to keep these souls safe and cared for. No one else would even know that they were here.’  
It took Rey a moment to realise that she was taking about the graves.  
‘That’s why I was so surprised to see you here,’ the older lady went on, heading over to the memorials, as Rey trailed after her. ‘They stopped using this place near enough fifteen years ago.’  
‘Why?’ That would have been around the same time her parents had died, and Rey shivered involuntarily.  
‘People say it’s cursed because of who’s buried here.’ Going over to one of the unmarked patches of ground, she bent down and placed her hand on the hot sand. ‘Do you know their story?’  
‘A little,’ breathed Rey. It was the will of the Force that she had met this woman, it had to be.  
‘They found something terrible up on the Plaintive Hand plateau. Some say it was a dagger with a terrible power. Whatever it was, it drove them mad. They tried to get rid of it but it was too late. They lost everything they had.’  
‘What happened to them?’  
‘They were found dead, not far from here. Their throats cut. I buried them here.’ The old woman looked up, her eyes meeting Rey’s as the merciless sun beat down on them. ‘You know them, don’t you?’  
‘I’m their daughter,’ said Rey quietly, tears prickling her eyes. ‘They sold me to Unkar Plutt.’  
‘Goodness,’ the woman said, visibly shocked. ‘You did well to survive.’ Standing back up, she reached out her hand towards the young woman. Taking it, in hers, Rey felt the papery softness of her skin, beneath it, her strength and goodness.   
Immediately, the older woman gasped, as if struck by a powerful vision. ‘My goodness, child, your strength, your power.’ She stared at Rey for a moment, trying to make sense of what she had seen.   
‘What is it?’ Rey could feel it again, the dissonance in the Force, the lack of harmony. It made her skin prickle.  
‘I see… I see that you are at a crossroads,’ murmured the older woman, her eyes closed. ‘You must make a choice that will change the entire future of the galaxy. But you’re not ready for such importance.’  
‘No.’ If there was one thing Rey was sure about, it was that she was not ready for what the Force needed her to do. A feeling that had plagued her ever since that fateful day she had picked up Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber in the depths of Maz’s castle.  
‘I see… I see someone as strong as you… but he is immersed in darkness. There is so much anger, so much pain within him. It suffocates his true self.’  
‘Ben.’ whispered the girl, remembering the tiny glimpses that she thought she had seen of his inner light. Traces of the compassion and loneliness that he could not help revealing to her, when he let his guard down.  
‘He is in conflict,’ continued the woman, her eyes pressed tightly shut, ‘but like you, he is on a journey of discovery. One that mirrors yours.’  
A journey… Rey knew that she was searching for the answers to who she was and what she could be. What her place was in the wide scheme of things. She was surprised that Ben was doing the same because he frequently gave the impression that he had already answered those questions. But perhaps it was only a facade, what Ben wanted her to think.  
Opening her eyes, the woman gazed into Rey’s eyes, ‘You are bound together through the Force, you and he. One in the light and one in the dark.’  
‘Bound together?’ Finally, she was getting somewhere. ‘But why are we connected?’  
‘You are a dyad, two that are one,’ continued the woman. Her eyes had gone glassy, her voice deeper, as if someone, or something, else was speaking through her. ‘Powerful apart, you will be yet more powerful together, sharing a bond that is stronger than life itself.’  
‘What do you mean?’ breathed Rey, trembling with the realisation.  
But the woman could not hear her. ‘The dyad is broken, broken by conflict. Only when you find your true selves, when you find your belonging, will you bring the balance that the galaxy needs.’  
Balance and belonging… Rey had heard those words before.  
‘You must find yourselves.’ Panting with the effort, the older woman came out of her trance, dropping Rey’s hand and collapsing to the ground. She was visibly shaken by the power of the words spoken through her.  
‘Oh!’ Crouching down beside her, Rey put her hands on the woman’s shoulders, soothing her. As she struggled to sit up, Rey helped her as much as she could.  
‘My dear. A heavy weight rests on your shoulders.’ Her eyes were fixed on Rey’s face, filled with concern.  
‘It frightens me,’ said Rey quietly. She felt safe with the woman, amazed at the strength of her compassion and acceptance of the Force’s will. She did not mind admitting that she was struggling with what she had to do.  
‘Both of you are suffering,’ said the woman, and Rey realised that she meant Ben too. ‘Help each other. Listen to your heart, it will guide you.’  
After a moment or two to recover, the older woman walked away, turning once to wave fondly back at Rey. Watching her leave, the young Jedi felt only greater uncertainty. How could she support Ben, knowing that he had consciously chosen the dark? After the terrible vision of them both on the dark side, how could she trust him not to manipulate her into joining him? The same doubts as before nagged away at her, the woman’s words bringing only more confusion rather than the clarity she so desperately needed.  
Turning back towards Niima Outpost, she suddenly remembered the vision she had had when she first came to the graveyard. Meeting with the woman had distracted her from it, but the image of her parents burying the dagger flashed in front of her eyes once more as a reminder. Where did Plutt say they had found it? The Plaintive Hand plateau. Changing direction, she set off across the sands.


	8. Kylo Ren goes to Mustafar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren drags the Knights and the First Order to Mustafar to find something that was hidden away by Snoke. Here he meets the Oracle and finds out something new about his connection with Rey.

Standing at the large windows of his command ship, the Steadfast, Kylo Ren watched silently as the streaks of light sped past outside, indicating that the ship was in hyperspace. For over an hour he had been trying to reach into the Force, to calm his mind, but his brain seemed determined to churn over recent events and he found it difficult to concentrate. Yet, the Force itself was as unsettled as he was, its complex webs of energy tainted by the ever-encroaching darkness, as if it was sickening under its influence. Concerned that he was losing his tenuous hold on sanity, he allowed himself to be mesmerised by the swirling vortex outside, wanting to be free from everything that tormented him.  
Behind him, away from the tension that surrounded the Supreme Leader, the everyday activities of the vast ship carried on as normal. Senior officers watched over junior officers as information was fed into, and out of, computer terminals, keeping an eye on the running of the ship itself but also to ensure that First Order interests were being followed effectively across the galaxy. Technicians and sanitation workers made sure that machinery ran smoothly and the floors stayed clean and polished. Food was being served in the onboard cafeterias to those officers and stormtroopers who were off duty. Despite the extraordinary power and resources of the First Order, life here could be just as routine, and banal, as that of the galaxy’s poorest citizens.  
At one of the computer terminals nearest to Kylo Ren, General Hux studied the screen as reams of information poured in from their occupied territories, looking out for anything that might be useful. His pale features hid everything away behind a calm facade, yet he was also keeping a watchful eye on their Supreme Leader, annoyed that yet another of his side projects meant the full-scale involvement of First Order forces. It was a waste of time and resources in Hux’s eyes.   
For the Steadfast was heading for Mustafar, a desolate planet which had once been a beautiful garden world. Taken over by the Techno Union for the rare minerals found within its volatile core, its exploitation combined with environmental disaster on a planetary scale, had left the planet deeply scarred, a hellish landscape of raging lava fields, opened up by a continually shifting, unstable crust. It was the place where Lord Vader had built his castle, in memory of the climatic battle that he had fought there with his former mentor, Obi-wan Kenobi. Because of its symbolism, both in terms of his family legacy and his attempted veneration of Vader, it was odd, therefore, that Kylo Ren had never found the occasion to visit Mustafar. He had once suggested it to Snoke but had quickly, and painfully, been silenced by his master. Now he had the opportunity and a clear purpose.  
It had taken him several attempts to break into the holocron he had found on Lothal, involving hours of meditation that had him delving into the darkest reaches of the Force. Its secrets had been locked up tight but eventually he had discovered the way in, and the hologram had opened to reveal an archive of information. Most of it had been worthless to him personally, early reports to do with First Order, endless accounts that he had immediately passed onto his subordinates to decode. But what had intrigued him was a map, hidden away beneath the rest of the archive, revealing the existence of a second holocron on Mustafar. Clearly Snoke had hidden it purposefully, leaving the barest of clues so that only one deeply committed to the dark side could uncover it. It had made Kylo more determined to find out exactly what Snoke had been hiding, but it should also have made him wary. For the trail left by Snoke was designed to lead him further and further into the dark side, something that the usually perceptive Kylo Ren had failed to notice.  
Perhaps it was because he was preoccupied with other things. In particular the idea that the galaxy was falling prey to a growing darkness in the Force had become an obsession within Kylo’s mind, almost over-taking his need to understand the darkness that seemed to be growing inside him. He did not know how he felt about it yet. As someone enmeshed within the darkness, surely he should have been jubilant that its influence was spreading? And yet… he wasn’t. The pain and suffering he saw across the galaxy mirrored his own, and it only made him more miserable. He remembered Luke telling him years ago that he sensed a source of dark energy somewhere in the galaxy was causing an imbalance within the Force, and the idea had come back to him as he was searching through Snoke’s belongings. Within an otherwise bland and unremarkable report on the resources of the First Order, he had found an obscure reference to an unnamed planet hidden deep in the Unknown Regions. In context with the holocron, and other materials within Snoke’s possession, he became convinced that this planet was critical to the origins of the First Order, as well as to the imbalance in the Force. Telling the High Command that he was seeking answers as to who Snoke was, and how he had come to lead the remnants of the Empire, he had announced that he was leading an expedition to Mustafar.  
When Hux had pooh-poohed the idea, claiming that the Supreme Leader was travelling there on account of a whim, he had met short shrift from their leader. ‘On the contrary,’ barked Kylo, glaring at Hux, ‘I found evidence on Lothal that Snoke hid a clue to his origins on Mustafar.’  
‘But you said yourself, Snoke is dead,’ Hux had argued, determined to understand the depths of their leader’s newfound obsession with the past. Was he driven by guilt over Snoke’s death? Either at his hand or the hand of the scavenger? For Hux had never truly believed that the scavenger, a mere girl, could have been strong enough to defeat not only Snoke but eight, highly trained Praetorian Guards all on her own. Without help. He had seen firsthand the terrible state that Kylo had been in after Snoke’s death, both physically and mentally. Something strange had happened in that throne room and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.  
‘Snoke may be dead, but his legacy lives on,’ said Kylo dismissively, allowing no more discussion of the matter. They were going to Mustafar and that was that.  
‘General?’ A nervous looking aide came over to Hux, who was now reading a flimplast detailing the situation on Riosa.   
‘Mm-hmm?’ Hux barely looked up.  
‘Sorry to interrupt but we will be coming out of light speed in five minutes.’  
‘Very well.’ Shoving the report into his pocket, Hux dismissed the aide with an impatient wave of his hand. Leaving the terminal, he went over to where Kylo Ren stood completely still, appearing to be in a trance. Hux had often wondered if such moments would give him the opportunity to silence Ren once and for all, but he knew that the man’s reflexes were supernatural and he had never quite had the confidence to try. ‘Supreme Leader?’  
‘What is it?’ Kylo did not look at him.  
‘We are coming out of light speed very soon.’  
‘Excellent.’ Kylo finally turned away from the window, his face impassive. ‘Prepare the ground forces.’  
As Kylo walked towards the exit, Hux followed him. ‘Just exactly what are we preparing them for?’  
‘No idea,’ Kylo shot back, annoyed by his question. ‘Just assume the worst.’  
As Kylo disappeared into the bowels of the ship, Hux frowned after him. What he meant by that enigmatic comment was anyone’s guess. The Knights of Ren had been sent to Mustafar in advance to meet with any natives but no news had come back. Perhaps they had all been slaughtered. Hux hoped so.

The command ship hissed as it landed at the edge of Corfax Fen, one of the areas of Mustafar that was steadily recovering following its abandonment at the end of the Empire. Overhead the sky was dark and stormy, raining flakes of ash onto the swampy ground. Here and there, the muddy bog was interspersed with tangled coppices of irontrees, and far in the distance, the ruined remains of Vader’s castle loomed on the horizon. Although nature was slowly reclaiming the landscape, it was still a hellish place, the stuff of nightmares.  
The huge wings of the command ship folded up as the gangplank lowered, and a pensive Kylo Ren walked out, followed closely by Hux, still seething with frustration at the pointlessness of the mission. Several transports had landed already under the direction of General Engell, and she was stood close by, ensuring the troops were lined up neatly for their leader’s inspection.  
Coming to the bottom of the gangplank, Kylo paused and looked around, his dark eyes curious. He could feel faint traces of dark side power, lingering in the air, along with a great deal of ash. Already it was tickling his throat and he coughed, trying to expel it.  
Hux was also coughing. ‘Who’s idea was it to come here?’ he said pointedly to Kylo Ren, as soon as he could speak again.  
Kylo ignored him, for he had been distracted by the arrival of the Knights of Ren. They were coming towards the ship from across the Fen, struggling through the bog, splattered with mud and caked with ash. When they reached him, Kylo asked, ‘Well?’  
‘The answer is no, my Lord,’ said Trudgen grumpily, his true expression hidden.  
‘Permission to dispatch every last one of them,’ growled Ushar, hefting his war club in his hands.  
‘Not yet,’ said Kylo, making sure his lightsaber was secure in his belt.   
‘Who are they?’ asked Hux, filled with loathing for the bloodthirsty knights. if he had his way, he would dispense with the lot of them.  
‘The Alazmec of Winsit,’ muttered Kylo, ‘Vader cultists.’ He was surprised that those who worshipped Vader would not allow him, Vader’s grandson and heir, to access the castle of his ancestor. Perhaps they had misunderstood his purpose? ‘Come on.’  
Gesturing to Engell to send the troops behind him, Kylo Ren led the Knights across the challenging terrain of the fen, searching for the quickest path through the trees. In the distance, he could see the Alazmec mustering their forces. They were strange looking beings, dressed in large bulky armour, helmets and goggles to protect themselves from the hellish atmosphere. Reminiscent of the Sith Acolytes on Lothal. As Kylo looked at them, he felt no fear, merely a slight irritation that they were standing in the way of the place he wanted to be.  
Left behind, Hux went to join General Engell beside the command ship as the troops marched off behind the Knights. Some small part of him could not help admiring Ren for taking charge on the field, like the leaders of old. But he was content to lead from the back, practical conflict was not Hux’s forte.  
‘Look at him,’ complained Hux to the older General, the distaste evident on his face. ‘The galaxy rebels against us and he is here, chasing ghosts.’  
Engell was uncertain about the purpose of the mission, but she was uncomfortable with Hux’s open display of hostility. ‘The Supreme Leader sees wisdom in searching for the source of Snoke’s power. Perhaps he thinks there will be something we can use to bolster our position?’  
‘The unrest is caused by Ren himself,’ grumbled Hux, knowing that he was talking to the wrong officer. If Quinn were there… ‘The only solution we need is to dispense with his ridiculous plan to appease the “citizens” (he said this in a mocking voice) and get on with the business of bringing order to their miserable lives.’  
‘You should trust in our leader more,’ was Engell’s advice. She was one of the few senior officers that truly admired Kylo Ren, seeing within him a strength and ability that was more compelling than the hostile secrecy of Snoke. ‘He knows what he’s doing.’  
Unable to agree with her, Hux remained silent. The situation was changing up ahead and he needed to concentrate in case an opportunity to be rid of Ren and his awful Knights presented itself.

The fen was muddy and waterlogged, and soon Kylo’s boots and cloak were splattered with filth. Still he pressed on, getting more and more annoyed that the Alazmec were blocking the way to Vader’s castle. They had spread themselves across the fen and he was too impatient to send his troops all the way around. He would plough straight through them if he had to.  
As Kylo Ren got closer, the Knights right behind him, one of the cultists detached themselves from the main group and came to meet him, holding his weapon aggressively. ‘We will not let you pass. We already told your men that.’  
‘I am Lord Vader’s grandson,’ snapped Kylo Ren, his annoyance and frustration already sky-high, making him dangerous. ‘You will let me pass.’  
‘It makes no difference who you are,’ said the leader of the cultists dismissively, his lack of concern for Kylo’s heritage evident in his voice. ‘Unless you are Lord Vader yourself, which I very much doubt, we have sworn to protect the castle from anyone who…’  
But he did not get to finish his sentence. His head was lying on the ground, severed by Kylo’s volatile lightsaber. It was the signal to attack and Kylo led the charge, his anger finding its release in an orgy of violence and destruction. It was hard going, the cultists were numerous and brutish, but with the Knights and the stormtroopers behind him, Kylo made short work of them. Skewering the final cultist through the chest, he stood, breathing heavily, feeling the thrill and excitement of the dark side power flooding through him, exaggerated by the closeness of Vader’s castle. Pulling out his comlink, he spoke into it, ‘Hux?’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader?’  
‘We have dispatched the cultists. Sending the troops back.’ Putting the comlink away, Kylo gestured to his Knights. ‘This way.’  
As the troops returned to the command ship, Kylo and his knights made their way across the increasingly treacherous swamp, having to wade through thick, sludgy water. As the water reached the tops of their boots, the Knights looked in askance at their Supreme Leader.  
‘Are you sure this is the way?’ asked Vikrun, unwilling to go further.  
Kylo was about to answer when suddenly the waters of the swamp started to bubble and froth violently around them, causing him and the Knights to retreat. As they watched, a strange creature emerged from the dank waters, like something that belonged in a bad dream or a nightmare. The bottom of the creature was akin to a giant humanoid baby, its eyes and mouth tightly closed, the skin fused together. If that was not hideous enough, on top of the baby’s head was a tentacled creature, its skin mottled in blue and orange. As Kylo stared at it, he realised somehow that the two creatures needed each other to exist. Without each other they would die.  
A small mouth opened in the tentacled creature but when it spoke its voice was many. ‘Only one of you shall pass. The son of Han Solo and Leia Organa.’  
The Knights sniggered. It had been a long time since anyone, or anything had dared to remind Kylo Ren of his hated parents. They waited for the creature to be sliced in half but Kylo did nothing, instead he ordered the Knights to, ‘Go back to the ship.’  
Ushar was not sure that he had heard correctly. ‘Pardon, my Lord?’  
‘Go back to the ship,’ repeated Kylo, his eyes fixed on the creature ahead. He could feel its strength in the Force and curiosity had got the better of him. He was prepared to forgive the reminder of his family to find out what it wanted.  
Without needing any more encouragement, the Knights turned away and headed back to drier land, the sound of their boots sloshing through the wet fen continuing for several minutes. In the meantime, Kylo waited patiently until the silence returned. Even the few birds that there were in the trees had stopped singing.  
‘Who are you?’ he asked the creature, forcing himself to look at its peculiar features. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, even in the books of fantastical beings he had pored over in childhood.  
‘We are the Oracle,’ said the creature, its small beady eyes glinting in the pale light. ‘We have much to impart to you but it demands that you hear us with an open mind and heart.’  
‘What can you tell me that I don’t already know?’ said Kylo defensively, afraid inside. The creature’s voice seemed to pierce through his armour, through the shell that he had built up around himself. It left him feeling vulnerable.  
‘We know that you journey down the wrong path,’ said the Oracle brazenly, its voices ringing in his ears. ‘A path that was not meant for you. Know this, what Snoke told you was a lie. His purpose was revenge. It is why you could never fully resist the light. Why it calls to you still.’  
‘Revenge?’  
‘Against those who would destroy the Empire,’ said the Oracle, its hideous wail penetrating deep into his mind. ‘Their children were taken, turned against their true selves.’  
‘No,’ said Kylo, his anger rising, realising the implications of the Oracle’s words. That he had been manipulated by Snoke to turn against his family. ‘Snoke would never…’  
‘You murdered your master but still you defend him,’ said the Oracle contemptuously, its tentacles moving to and fro as it spoke. ‘You are haunted by his memory, even though your need to save the girl was stronger than your loyalty to him. And why was that, we wonder? Aha!’ The Oracle sensed the change in Kylo’s emotions and waved its tentacles at him, ‘Your feelings betray you. You feel more for her than you will admit.’  
‘She means nothing to me,’ insisted Kylo, but he knew it was a lie, even as he said it.  
‘You cannot even convince yourself,’ laughed the Oracle, a horrible high-pitched laugh that reverberated around the trees. ‘Your hands may be steeped in blood but your heart beats with love for the girl.’  
Kylo remained silent. Many times he’d had the chance to end her life and yet he had always faltered, like he had on Lothal. As though he knew that ending her life would diminish something in his.  
‘You struggle to understand it, don’t you?’ continued the monster, much Kylo’s discomfort. ‘To understand why the great Kylo Ren is in thrall to a scavenger from Jakku. Why the Force has connected you with someone so insignificant.’ Waving its tentacles, the creature intoned, ‘There is a prophecy long forgotten. In a time of pain and suffering, a dyad will come. Two chosen by the Force to be as one, their bond powerful enough to cross time and space. A bond stronger than life itself!’  
This was interesting, a prophecy that was new to him. ‘A dyad?’  
‘The evil unleashed by Sidious upset the balance of the Force maintained over generations,’ continued the Oracle, the baby beneath it beginning to stir. ‘The Chosen One restored the balance but his sacrifice was known only to a few. His achievement was never recognised, the galaxy remembering only the evil of Vader. Now the Shadow grows strong again. You, the girl, the galaxy, all suffer because of it. You must put right what is wrong. Heal the galaxy’s wounds. Defeat the Shadow that feeds on the darkness.’  
‘How?’ Kylo managed to be both contemptuous and curious all at once.  
‘First you must accept who you really are.’  
‘I know who I am.’  
‘Do you?’  
Kylo Ren sighed. Why did no one believe him? ’I suppose you’re going to tell me.’  
‘You are Ben Solo, son of heroes,’ proclaimed the Oracle, ‘the last of your line. The last Skywalker.’  
Here was something else that would seek to shape his destiny. He would not accept it, he would find his own path if it killed him. Backing away, Kylo shook his head. ‘No.’  
‘You cannot escape your destiny!’ proclaimed the Oracle as the giant baby’s eyes flew open to reveal bright white light, blinding in its intensity. ‘The fate of the galaxy depends on the dyad!’   
The light surrounded him, penetrating deep into his soul, burning his eyes with its ferocity. Gasping, he fell to his knees, sinking into the slime. Around him, the marsh began to fade, replaced by an image, so vivid it seemed real. A vision of him and Rey, standing together, hand in hand. Facing the darkness that swirled around them. He could feel the strength of their bond, both of them were suffused in light, filled with hope and purpose. And love, for each other.  
Despite his disavowal of the prophecy, tears coursed down Kylo’s cheeks at the promise of his future.   
Just as soon as it had appeared, the vision faded, and the intensity of the light increased until his head throbbed with the pain. The baby’s eyes clamped shut again and, startled, Kylo fell backwards into the water, losing consciousness.

When Kylo awoke, he found himself slumped at the edge of the fen, soaking wet and drenched in stinking mud. Getting up, he looked around but there was no longer any sign of the Oracle. The surface of the water was murky, but still. Turning around he looked up to the ruins of Vader’s castle, reached via a steep path that wound its way up the cliff face. Breathing deeply to calm himself, he began the steep climb up to the castle. It was hard going, and his wet cape clung uselessly to his legs. Annoyed, he ripped it off and flung it onto the ground before continuing his climb. He barely looked at his surroundings, the path was rough and covered in scree, requiring all his attention as his boots were unsuited to the rough conditions and he kept slipping.   
The words of the Oracle still rung in his ears, exacerbating a dull headache, although that could also be due to severe dehydration. The vision had affected him greatly, although it had mostly made him angry. Here was another mysterious being, strong in the Force, trying to convince him of his true path. Snoke had convinced him that he would only find his true path by giving into the darkness, but here was the Oracle suggesting the opposite. He wouldn’t believe it - he couldn’t. For that meant he had been striving all this time under a delusion, that he was heir to Lord Vader, to the darkness that tainted the Skywalker legacy. The darkness that was in his blood, inherited from his grandfather. It was in his Uncle, and in his mother, as well as in him.  
Yet, if truth be told he had never fully succumbed to it, and Snoke’s attempts to drive the light from him had repeatedly failed. Snoke told him that this was because of his own weaknesses. But what if the opposite were true? That his pull to the light was not a weakness but it was supposed to be part of him as well. It was exactly what he had said to Rey - that they were made of light and darkness, not one or the other. Rey had once thought that he would return to the light, to stand by her side, but he had rejected it, just as she had rejected his offer to join him on the side of darkness. Since then, the Force had been in turmoil, as if their antipathy towards each other had struck right into its heart. Perhaps it was true, perhaps there would only be balance when they recognised what they were really were?  
But what were they? What did he and Rey mean to each other? It was the question he was trying to answer.  
Putting such questions aside, he clambered up the final stages of the steep path until the former entrance to Vader’s castle came into view. He paused at the top of the cliff to look at it with growing admiration, although even here nature was starting to take over again. Reached by a bridge, the lava that had flowed beneath it had long since dried up, leaving jagged cliffs below. Fragile looking irontrees grew here and there, small red flowers carpeting some areas of rock with their delicate blooms. He could hear birds singing, although they were hidden in the foliage. It was strangely tranquil after the horror of the cultists and the Oracle, and he took a moment to recover.  
The castle itself was a shadow of its former glory. Built of black obsidian, gouged out of the planet’s unstable core, the walls had long since fallen in, the roof collapsed and turned to rubble. But he could still feel the power of the darkness within, its tendrils were creeping outwards, searching for him.  
Heir to Lord Vader, voices whispered, come and claim your destiny.  
He shook his head, no doubt it was another lie. But he could also sense other traces on the Force, someone steeped in the dark side had been here before him. Taking his lightsaber from his belt, he walked over to the beginnings of the bridge that spanned the gorge below. Gingerly he tested his foot on it but it held firm and soon he was safely over, standing inside the remains of the castle’s huge entrance hall. Now open to the sky, he could see banks of machinery in one of the rooms. Next to a large bacta tank, the rusting remains of medical droid lay slumped next to it. A reminder that his ancestor had been less than human.   
That is what the dark side does to you, he thought morosely. It strips out your humanity and turns you into a monster. Once he had thought it was about using those emotions that were forbidden to a Jedi, the emotions that he had never quite managed to suppress inside himself, despite Luke’s teachings. If he had known the truth, would he have made a different choice? Would he have gone to his mother that fateful night instead of Snoke? He didn’t know.  
Where to begin?  
Putting aside pointless philosophical meandering, he focused instead on the task ahead of him. He did not know where to look, did not even know what he was looking for. But he imagined that what he sought, if it was still in the castle, would be hidden away. Snoke had many secrets and he was only just finding out how many.  
We know the secrets you desire, whispered the voices, swirling around him in the dust, we know where they are. Follow us down.  
He did not know if he could trust the voices. He had heard voices in this head for as long as he could remember. At first he had thought the voices were himself - at least, a better version of himself, the side of him that knew how to understand the world around him, rather than the confusing sensations and emotions that assaulted him daily. Eventually, he had discovered that the voice was Snoke. These voices were different though, they clearly existed within the castle, remnants of the dark side of the Force. Weighing up his options, he decided to follow the voices down and work his way back up through the castle. Preparing himself for any nasty surprises, he kept his lightsaber close.  
Exploring the lower parts of the castle, he eventually found a metal door, its lock rusted shut. From behind the door he could hear the whispered voices, calling to him. Relaxing in the Force, he threw his full weight at the door. It caved in reluctantly, buckling along a fault line in its centre. With brute force he pushed his way in, finding himself in a large cavern at the top of a flight of stairs leading down. The stairs were ancient, carved out of stone, the middle of each one worn down from where thousands of footsteps had previously trod. He remembered Snoke telling him that Vader had built his castle on the remains of a Sith shrine. No doubt these stairs led down to it. Cautiously, he made his way downwards, using his lightsaber to reveal the way forward. As he went down, he began to see the huge statues that lined the walls, figures cloaked in long robes, their eyes cast downward as if looking to the dark rather than the light. Each statue held a different object, one a large sword, another an ancient tome. Symbols were carved at intervals on the walls, long strings of now unintelligible words largely hidden under mould and other creeping lifeforms that survived down here in the dark. Kylo doubted that there would be anyone left who would understand what had been written. Although Snoke had been strong in the dark side, he was not a Sith.  
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he walked along the corridor, amongst the towering statues, wary of the shadows. The voices continued to whisper to him, telling him that they knew what he needed, all he had to do was succumb to them. To focus his anger and his hate. It was taking all his concentration to ignore them. They had wormed their way into his mind and taken root there. He knew he would find something important here, the strength of the dark side was growing as he approached the end of the corridor, the light from his weapon showing him that underneath an archway was a large chamber. Kylo entered and swept his lightsaber around, revealing the remains of the shrine in front of him. Another statue stood at its centre, a hooded figure with malevolent red eyes, formed of precious stones, staring down in eternal hatred. Its hands were spread wide, surrounding a stone altar. Kylo found himself wondering if, at one point, offerings had been made to the statue, a way of honouring the Sith it represented.  
At the side of the room was a set of wooden shelves, filled with relics. Going over, Kylo saw the rotting remains of ancient books, small replicas of the same statues in the corridor, and what looked like amulets, carved from precious stones. Special items had once been contained in glass cases, but were now covered with mould and rust from the water seeping down through the ceiling. Nature always found a way in.  
Unlike the Almazac - who would have given anything to be where Kylo stood now - he was deeply uninterested in the religious aspects of the Sith cult. Sweeping his eyes across the cases, he did not immediately see anything of interest. But that’s what Snoke would want me to think. Snoke would want him to struggle, to become angry and curse. But this time, Kylo would refuse. He would not let Snoke win. Snoke had hidden something important here and he would find it.  
Relaxing his mind, he closed his eyes and reached out into the Force, seeking the traces of the past. In a moment or two he had found it, and he grasped at it, a faint memory of someone, someone who was not human, walking into the shrine and hiding an object behind a row of books. Coming out of his trance, Kylo found himself staring at a different part of the shelf, at a mostly intact section of books. As he pulled the books from the shelf, they immediately fell to pieces in his hands, bits of old paper falling like sparks from a dying fire around him. Dropping the mouldy remains, he saw a metal cover had been fitted flush with the wall, covering up a recess or cupboard. It was accessed by a small keypad but Kylo did not have time for niceties. Focusing on the metal, he called on the Force to change its shape, imagining it melting and buckling, ripping it from its setting. With a loud clang, the door sprung open, bent and twisted from the terrible power of his mind. Reaching inside, Kylo found two things; a triangular holocron that was similar in style to the one he had found on Lothal, and a small scroll of brown and tattered parchment. Opening it up, he found the scroll was covered in closely written black ink, faded in parts, in a language that Kylo did not recognise.  
You have what you need, the voices exalted, as if they had helped him in some way. But they were right in one respect - he did have what he needed.

‘Where has Ren got to?’  
Bored and irritated by the toxic atmosphere of Mustafar, Hux was getting impatient. He had tried contacting the Supreme Leader several times on the comlink that he, Hux, had demanded Kylo carry at all times. But there had been no answer. Since the Knights of Ren had returned earlier, also without their leader, it meant that there was no one with him. He entertained the pleasant idea that Kylo was lying somewhere, face down in the bog. ‘He could be dead in the swamp for all we know.’  
Beside him, General Engell looked uncomfortable. ‘Perhaps we should send a squad out to see if they can find him?’ She did not like their chances of ordering the Knights of Ren to seek out their master. No one dared approach them.  
‘I’m not wasting anymore of our troops,’ snapped Hux, pacing up and down. ‘It was pointless coming here in the first place.’  
‘With respect, General Hux,’ Engell said in alarm, ‘this is our Supreme Leader you are talking about. He could be wounded, or lost. It is imperative that we look for him.’  
Hux rolled his eyes, she was a lackey, plain and simple. In his opinion, Kylo Ren had only put her on the Command team because he knew she would support his every decision, just like the lickspittle she was. He was about to reprimand her when there was a shout from one of the Knights. Hux had no idea who it was, they all looked the same to him. Weird and threatening.  
In the distance, they could see a tall figure making its way with difficulty through the swamp, panting and cursing loudly. To Engell’s relief, and Hux’s chagrin, it was Kylo Ren, clutching the scroll and the holocron tightly, his cloak, which he had collected on the way back, and his boots coated in thick mud. His face was grimy, his hair wet and splattered with mud and ash, giving him the appearance of a mud monster emerging from the swamp.  
‘What happened to you?’ asked Hux as Kylo drew near, stinking and sweaty. ‘Did you decide to take a bath in that?’  
‘Ready the ship,’ said Kylo, pointedly ignoring him. Handing the two objects to Engell, he instructed her to make sure that they were taken good care of.   
‘As you wish, Supreme Leader.’  
Pleased to have been given such an important task, Engell scurried back up the gangway into the command ship, followed by a subdued Hux. He would have liked to have seen what was so important, why they had been dragged halfway across the galaxy to this godforsaken place. Still, he was pleased that Ren had returned with something.  
Kylo Ren went over to where the Knights were idling about, talking quietly amongst themselves. They snapped to attention as soon as he reached them. ‘I need you to find someone for me.’  
‘Whatever you wish, Master of the Ren,’ said Vikrul in his guttural voice.  
‘Someone who can translate the old Sith language.’  
The Knights muttered amongst themselves. ‘Most folks who could translate that will be long passed,’ said Ushar, speaking for all of them.  
‘Probably,’ agreed Kylo, ‘but you’re good at doing the impossible.’  
‘That is true,’ laughed Trudgen, fingering his weapon. ‘We will do our best.’  
‘I know you will,’ said Kylo and, turning away from them, he walked back to the command ship.


	9. Rey goes to the Plaintive Hand Plateau

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey finds the Emperor's Observatory, where her parents found something terrible that contributed to the bad choices they made in life. She has a run-in with a Sith relic hunter and assassin called Ochi, and she finds that it is getting harder to resist the temptation of the dark side. However, she also meets an old friend of Han and Leia. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren finds out a terrible secret that changes his whole perspective on Snoke.

After leaving the Badlands, Rey had walked for and hours hours across the flat, unremarkable plains, wrapping her scarf around her head to protect herself from the scorching sun. The relentlessness of the journey took her back to her earlier life as a scavenger. Plutt was right, it had made her strong and resourceful for it had been a life of hardship and uncertainty, of solitude and desperation. Never having enough of anything, and certainly no comfort or friendship. At least now she could start to understand why her parents had abandoned her, leaving her with Plutt. They had made a terrible mistake, one that they had paid for with their lives. Perhaps selling her to Plutt had actually protected her from a worse fate, as Plutt had suggested. It annoyed her that he might have been right, but it was the only thing she could cling to. Like the Jedi teachings encouraged, she tried to let go of her anger, to find peace and resolution.  
Unprompted, her mind strayed back to the man who had told her about her parents or, at least, had drawn out of her what she had already known. If it hadn’t been for Kylo Ren, would she even be here now?

In his chambers on the Steadfast, Kylo was attempting to open the second holocron when he felt the strong pull of Rey’s presence. Looking up, he saw her standing in his quarters, a scarf wrapped tightly around her head so that he could only see her eyes. It looked comical and he watched her, realising that she had not noticed him yet. For a moment her eyes remained fixed on something beyond him, but then he could see her starting to perceive that something had changed in the Force around her. Quickly, her eyes darted to the left, but then came back to settle on his face.  
‘Ben!’ she said unguardedly, startled by his appearance.Her voice was muffled by the scarf and she pulled it away. ‘Where did you come from?’ As he appeared to her, he looked like he was sat on the desert floor, wearing only his pants, his feet bare. It was the second time she had seen him without his armour. His skin looked pale in the bright sunlight, drawing attention to the scars that covered his body.  
‘On the contrary, you appeared to me,’ he said calmly, rising gracefully to his feet. Hazarding a guess as to why she was wrapped up in desert robes, he said, ’You went back to Jakku.’  
‘Yes.’ There was no harm in admitting it to him. As ever she did not sense any malice in his feelings towards her. Quite the opposite, in fact.  
‘Why?’  
‘I needed to know what happened to my parents.’ When his eyebrows raised slightly, she went on, ’There’s more to their story.’  
‘You want something from me,’ Ben murmured, more interested in her feelings that lay just below the surface than her reasons for returning to that godforsaken planet. ‘But what is it?’  
Taking a deep breath, she decided to be honest with him, like he had been honest with her. ‘I need to know about the dark side. How it works…’  
‘It’s not a machine…’ he said lightly.  
Her forehead creased, ‘What it wants.’  
‘The dark side tells us to give into our strongest feelings,’ he said more seriously. ‘Our wants. Our needs.’  
‘Why?’  
‘It makes us powerful.’  
‘Bad as well as good?’  
‘Yes. Anger, hate, fear. All the things a Jedi shouldn’t feel.’ Her reaction to his words made him realise that he was getting close to her concerns. ‘You feel them, don’t you,’ he said eventually, moving closer towards her. ’You feel… anger. Pain. And you don’t know what to do with it.’  
She was scared by how easily he had worked it out, and she almost backed away. But part of her wanted to stay, to know what else he was going to say. So she remained where she was.  
Ben’s face was impassive. ‘You’ve resisted it before. What’s changed?’  
‘I don’t know.’ She fixed her eyes on him, wanting him to have the answers but not sure that she wanted to hear them from him. In case it emboldened him. ‘You tell me.’  
For a long moment, he was silent, trying to penetrate into her thoughts, trying to cut through all the chatter he found in there. He could see that she was searching for answers, struggling as much as he was with her role as an instrument of the Force. But there was something else. She was conflicted about her feelings for him. ‘We’re more similar than you think,’ he breathed, a note of wonder in his voice.  
‘I’m nothing like you!’ she snapped angrily, breaking the connection.

On Jakku, Ben disappeared and Rey found herself staring at the empty horizon, wondering what she had achieved by telling him about her fears. Now he knew that she was veering closer to the dark side, giving him something else to taunt her with. Although he seemed willing to help her, she couldn’t help thinking that the voice was right, that he was influencing her, trying to turn her under the guise of caring for her. But if he was manipulating her, surely she would have known it from his mind? On his part, she had felt nothing but curiosity, mingled with concern.  
Lost in her thoughts, Rey continued her journey to the Plaintive Hand plateau, looking for the tell-tale remains half buried in the sand, the building she had seen in her vision. Somewhere in the ruins was buried the knife that had destroyed her parents. It was powerful, surely. She did not know what use it would have but she convinced herself that it was better in the hands of the Resistance than someone like Unkar Plutt.  
Coming to the top of yet another sand dune she finally saw it. The white dome, half hidden within the sand. Seeing it made her realise that she had been here before. Years ago, she had followed a group of scavengers to the plateau after hearing rumours that there were treasures to be found. Yet she, and they, had found nothing, not even the remains of the building. The sands had kept their secrets safe that day.  
Coming over to the dome, she saw that there was an opening within it. A corridor sloped downwards, half-filled with sand. Covering her mouth with her scarf, she squeezed her way in, sliding down into a large courtyard that was paved with white stone. Getting up, she dusted herself down and looked around. The walls surrounding the courtyard were built out of the same pristine white stone, and in front of her was a doorway, topped with an ornate portico. It was like nothing she had seen on Jakku, suggesting that it had been built by off-worlders. Considering the amount of sand and dust in the air, it was a miracle that everything was so clean.  
The door into the complex had been pulled off its hinges and was lying on the ground, revealing a long corridor that went into deep into the rocks underneath the sand. As she stood, contemplating whether to go inside or not, voices started whispering to her, telling her that they had something she needed.  
Follow us, they said, find what you seek.  
Uncertain whether she could trust the voices, Rey saw that there was only one way to enter the complex, and that was through the corridor. Hand on her lightsaber, she went cautiously forwards, heading inside.  
The corridor itself was functional, lined with dark grey panels. It reminded her of the interior of the First Order ships, bland and highly polished, although everything here was grimy and covered in sand. Carefully she inched her way along in case there was someone hidden there but she was greeted with silence. Even the voices in her head had stopped whispering.  
At the end of the corridor she came to where another door had been wrenched violently off its hinges, the misshapen remains lying to the side of the entrance. It opened out into a large, octagonal shaped room. Peering inside, she saw that the chamber had been broken and ransacked. What had once been computer terminals lined the walls, but most of the screens had been smashed and their innards pulled out. Objects, once resplendent on shelves, lay smashed and broken. The floor was littered with their remains, mingled with the ever encroaching sand.  
Seeing the mess, Rey felt a keen sense of disappointment. How can I find the knife in here? Still, she closed her eyes and reached into the Force, drawing on the vision of her parents. Where would they hide the knife? If it were her, she would have hidden it under the floor.  
That’s it!  
In her vision her parents had buried the knife deep in the dirt. But the voices had led her in here. They must have buried it under one of the floor panels. Clearing away as much of the rubbish as she could, she stepped back to look at the floor, trying to find any evidence of tiles being forced upwards. At first she could not see anything, the floor was perfectly level. But then she looked from another angle. And saw it. The slight rise on a corner of one of the panels close to the left wall. Running over, she knelt down, seeing that the panel was slightly higher on one corner. She tried to lift it, but it was stuck fast. After several attempts, she gave up. Annoyed that she had come all this way for nothing.  
Be positive, Rey!  
Shaking her head at her own idiocy, she reached out with her hand, using the Force to lift the heavy floor tile from its position. Grunting, she dropped the tile on the ground and saw underneath it was sand and bedrock. Using her hands she dug down into the sand until her fingers caught something. Grasping onto it, she pulled with all her might, lifting up what turned out to be a knife with a curved blade and a carved handle. Brushing away the clinging sand, she saw an inscription running along the length of the blade. Even as she held it, she could feel its power.  
I was forged in the darkness.  
Startled, she looked around, but there was no one else there. Putting the knife into her bag, she replaced the floor tile and stood up. Old habits died hard and Rey could not help looking through the mess on the floor to see if there was anything worth scavenging. But she found nothing of value and turned to leave, nearly colliding with a tall non-human that had appeared behind her. Somehow it had entered the chamber without her knowing, so engrossed had she been in finding the knife. Terrified she took in the being’s large round face, wizened skin, huge, black eyes and slit of a mouth. The creature garbled at her in an unknown language, seizing her arm as she tried to back away. Its strength was phenomenal and she fought to escape, the fear rising in her head.  
‘You have the knife,’ growled the creature in Basic, pointing at her bag. ‘It’s mine!’  
‘It’s not yours,’ Rey gasped, trying to wrench herself free. ‘I found it!’  
Tightening its hold on her arm, it tried to grab her bag but she kicked at it, trying to throw it off balance. But it was no use, the creature had a tight hold on her arm. Angrily, she tried to reach for her lightsaber, but the creature dragged her closer to it, getting its other arm around her neck and squeezing tightly as it searched inside her bag for the knife.  
Gasping for air, Rey fought back as hard as she could, her terror rising as her throat constricted further. The pain from her wound was intense. Was she going to die? She did not know but she would fight it all the way.  
The creature had managed to take the knife from her bag and it threatened to cut her throat with it if she did not keep still. Knowing she did not have much time, Rey kicked out as hard as she could but it had little effect on the creature, and she felt her vision starting to blur as the hold it had on her continued to restrict her breathing.  
There was a sound from outside and the creature instinctively turned its head towards it. It was the distraction Rey needed. Sinking her teeth into the creature’s arm, she drove her elbow sharply backwards into its body at the same time. The taste of its blood was horrendous but she hung on. The creature screamed in pain and let her go, cursing loudly.  
Landing heavily on the ground, Rey saw that the creature had dropped the knife. Rolling across the floor, she grabbed it and jumped up to her feet.  
The knife felt good in her hand, almost as if it belonged there.  
At the same time, Ben’s words about his anger making him more powerful flittered through her mind.  
Harnessing her aggression and fear, she stabbed the knife into the creature’s chest as hard as she could. Watching as it collapsed to the floor, shrieking in agony, its body writhing and shuddering until it breathed its last breath and its agony ended.  
Breathing heavily, Rey reached down and removed the knife from the creature. Black, smelly liquid splattered her clothes and oozed from the wound, making her gag. Turning away to be sick, she was surprised to see Chewbacca had entered the chamber, accompanied by an older man. Although close to eighty, he was still handsome, with a neat moustache. Dressed in the rough clothes of a desert trader, the same brown and grey fabrics that characterised the dress of most people on Jakku, somehow he managed to make the drab robes look impeccable.  
Seeing the body on the ground, Chewbacca rushed over to her, asking if she was okay.  
‘Yes,’ Rey managed to say as her stomach heaved, but no liquid came out. Wiping her mouth, the urge gradually died down and she could take more interest in what was happening around her. ‘Who’s this?’ she asked the Wookie.  
‘I’m Lando Calrissian,’ drawled the man, standing over the body of the dead creature. Having seen enough, he came over to Rey and extended his hand. ‘And you must be Rey.’  
‘Yes.’ Rey took his hand. His handshake was firm, his eyes shone with kindness, and she warmed to him right away. Chewbacca had told her all about Lando, the baron administrator of Cloud City, a tibanna gas mine in the Anoat system, and Han Solo’s oldest friend. He had not disappointed her.  
‘Chewie’s told me all about you.’ Lando looked her up and down. ‘Although I wish we had met in more pleasant circumstances.’ For a moment he stared at her as if recognising something. Then he turned and said to Chewie, ‘You’re right, she does remind me of Ben.’ Seeing Rey’s confusion, he smiled. ‘Oh, I don’t mean that negatively. You have the same energy that he had. Powerful, if a little wilful and impulsive. Even I can see that and I’m not particularly sensitive to the Force.’  
After her last interaction with Ben, Rey didn’t know how to feel about Lando’s reaction to her. As Kylo Ren, Ben seemed the opposite to her in every way - cold, stern, almost inhuman in the way that he tried to hide his emotions. But there were occasional flashes of what Lando alluded to, which seeped out of Ben despite his best efforts. ‘How did you find me?’  
‘We were tracking this guy. Ochi of Bestoon. You heard of him?’ With remarkable coincidence, Lando had bumped into Chewie outside the Niima Outpost whilst he had been following the creature, and managed to persuade him to accompany him on his hunt.  
‘No.’  
‘He’s an assassin and relic hunter, Trained by Yupe Tashu, one of Palpatine’s advisors. He worships the Sith but it seems that at some point, he changed his allegiance over to the First Order.’  
‘What did you want him for?’ asked Rey, finally beginning to calm down. Although her use of the dark side had been fleeting, she could still feel it in her system, lingering there.  
‘I lost my daughter,’ said Lando, his expression revealing deep sadness. ‘To the First Order. Just like Han and Leia lost Ben. Like many families lost their children.’ He looked over to where the body of Ochi lay. ‘I was hoping that Ochi would have some answers for me. It’s rumoured he was involved in my daughter’s kidnapping, or knew who was.’  
Hearing his sadness, Rey’s heart went out to Lando. But the second part of his story surprised her. Although Finn had told her the First Order routinely took children away from their families in order to staff their fleets and their armies, it had not occurred to her that Snoke had taken Ben away from his family. ‘Sorry, you said Han and Leia lost Ben to the First Order, like you lost your daughter?’  
‘Yes,’ nodded Lando. ‘It was their plan all along. To corrupt our children. To make them responsible for their parent’s destruction.’  
That changed things considerably. Rey had always thought Ben made the choice freely to join Snoke, to join the dark side. But now it seemed less clear cut. She found herself wanting to see him again, to find out the truth of the matter.  
Whilst Rey and Lando were talking, Chewbacca examined Ochi’s body to see if there was anything that might help Lando in his search for information. Seeing a bag on Ochi’s belt, he pulled it off and handed it to the older man. There was nothing inside except for a small circular disk. When Lando pressed the button, a small hologram spluttered into life. Although hampered by static, it was possible to make out a tall figure, hunched and robed, talking in a language that Rey did not recognise, one that was low and guttural.  
But there was one word that she understood. ‘Exegol,’ she said in surprise.  
‘Exegol? You know it?’ asked Lando, switching the recording off.  
‘No,’ admitted Rey, ‘but I’m trying to find out what it means.’  
‘So was Luke, although that was a long time ago. You better take this,’ said Lando kindly, handing it to her. ‘It’s not much use to me.’  
‘Thank you.’ She pushed it into her bag.  
‘You don’t look well,’ said Lando paternally. ‘Come on, lets get you back to the Falcon.’  
As they walked back through the desert, it was turning chilly, the sun finally starting to disappear behind the horizon. Lando asked Rey what she had been doing up on the Plaintive Hand plateau, and she told him about her parents, how they had found the knife but all it had brought them was ill-luck.  
‘It’s no wonder,’ said Lando, who was looking at the knife curiously. ‘This is a Sith cultist’s knife. Goodness knows what these symbols mean.’  
Taking the knife back, Rey put it back into her bag. ‘I thought it would be safer in the Resistance’s hands than here on Jakku where anyone could find it.’ That was not strictly true, it had been well hidden. But she wanted to find out what made it so lethal, why Ochi had killed her parents for it.  
‘You stopped Ochi from finding it,’ smiled Lando, ‘that was important too.’  
‘I didn’t mean to kill him,’ said Rey quietly. ‘I wanted to know why he killed my parents.’  
‘I wouldn’t worry too much about it,’ said Lando practically, trying to soothe her frayed nerves. ‘I don’t think he would have told you the truth.’  
Still, now that she had calmed down, she was disturbed by her willingness to use the darkness within her to finish Ochi off. It had been easy. Too easy. As Lando and Chewie talked quietly, Rey’s thoughts returned to Ben. It was hard to admit, but he had been right, she was becoming more like him. She needed to speak to him again, to find out what he had wanted to tell her before she had rudely cut him off.

That night, Kylo Ren could not sleep. He felt out of sorts, thoughts churning round and round endlessly in his head. Robbing him of the sleep he so desperately needed. As he lay in his chamber, softly lit by small lamps hidden in the panels, he stared up at the ceiling, wondering how he had managed to get everything in his life so badly wrong. Already, his fragile hold on his identity had been shaken by the Oracle’s words, but the information he had found in the holocron was far, far worse. It had made him feel sick and dizzy, but now he had opened it, there was no going back.  
The effort it took to extract the information from the holocron had been intense, far worse than the previous one, and the pain lingered in his head even now. It had taken hours of meditation, delving into the deepest, most terrifying depths of the Force until he thought he might lose his mind to the dark side. Yet just as he was about to give up, something in the holocron clicked and its secrets were opened up to him. Inside were the details of a plan so elaborate, so cunning, he could scarcely believe it possible. It was the details of the Emperor’s contingency plans to reconquer the galaxy in case of his betrayal, or death, at the hands of Anakin Skywalker. To make it seem as if the Empire had destroyed itself but in reality, it would retreat far into the Unknown Regions, to find the source of a terrible dark side power and rebuild itself anew.  
The source of that power was Exegol.  
It was not a planet he had heard of, and it did not appear in any of his galactic atlases. According to the holocron, it was the home planet of Snoke, although there was no more information about his former master or the planet itself. To maintain the secret, Snoke had sent a fleet to the Unknown Regions under the auspices of Allegiant General Pryde, not a name he recognised. Wondering if the fleet were still there, not swallowed up by one of the strange anomalies that existed within that part of the galaxy, he had made a note to contact this Pryde as soon as he felt confident enough.  
Working his way through the rest of the archive, he had slowly pieced together the evidence that the First Order had not only been tasked with reclaiming the galaxy but also with expansion. To develop technology that would enable them to explore outside of the galaxy, to conquer new systems and planets. To develop support for the First Order outside of its main supporters, the Centrist planets, and, as Kylo had suspected, several of the most notorious crime syndicates. But the most chilling information he discovered was the desire for revenge towards the Republic and the former leaders of the Rebellion. A revenge so strong that it was willing to take their children and turn them against their parents, to corrupt them and brainwash them into serving the interests of the First Order. Children like FN-2187… and him. Events in his life started to fall into place. He had heard voices in his head for as long as he could remember, voices that had alternately soothed and terrified him, convincing him that his parents did not love him and feared his power. A power that confused him and isolated him from the people around him, which eventually led to him being sent away to train with his uncle. And when that had gone wrong, he had gone to Snoke, who persuaded him that only he understood what was happening to him. That only he, Snoke, had the answers to everything that he felt was missing from his life.  
At this point, Kylo had put the holocron down, realising that everyone who had tried to warn him about Snoke - his father, his mother, his uncle - had been right. He had been using him for his power, using him as a tool in the First Order’s attempt to dominate the galaxy. To prevent him and his immense powers from being used for good. And all that time he had thought that the darkness inside him was who he really was, just as the voices had told him. And once he had turned to the dark, he had not been able to shake off its corruption. Now he knew it was too late for him to turn back. But what he had seen in the holocron had shown him that the voices - that Snoke above all - had been lying to him ever since he could remember; he had darkness within him, yes, but it was not meant to define him. It was a part of him, as the light was too, like he had said to Rey. His whole life, he had been spent fighting something that there was no reason to fight. Snoke had more than duped him.  
Hot tears stung his eyes. What had his life meant up to this point? Nothing… All the choices he had made had been wrong, made without knowing the full context in which he existed, pushing him into the hands of evil and making him into the monster that he had always feared he would become. He cursed his Skywalker heritage, wishing that he had been born like his father, Han Solo, who had come from nothing and had ended up a hero, marrying a princess. It was a strange contrast with himself, Ben Solo, who had been born with everything but had thrown it all away - for what? The dark side that had promised him so much but left him with nothing but aching emptiness inside, worsening his self-destructive impulses and encouraging him to kill everything that he loved.  
Now it would stop.  
Sighing, he closed his eyes. Like most of the difficult times in his life, his instinct was to run away, to hope that the problem would vanish if he ignored it. Like he had ignored the existence of his parents for years. He wanted to wake up and find himself in another part of the galaxy, to abandon his responsibilities and make his own way, on his own terms, just as his father had done. But he knew he couldn’t leave the First Order in the hands of leaders like Hux and Quinn. With Hux in charge, there would be nowhere to run.


	10. Finn and Rose go to Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After reading Boolio's data packet, Finn and Rose decide to head to Coruscant to see if they can locate the group of deserters from the First Order. Landing in an abandoned industrial zone, Finn uses his growing sensitivity in the Force to find Jannah, a former stormtrooper, and her community. Speaking to the community gives them lots of ideas as to how they can spread rebellion throughout the First Order.

As soon as they had read through the data packet from Boolio, Finn and Rose decided to head straight to Coruscant instead of returning to Ajan Kloss. Although it did not give away any clues as to whom the informant might be, it had provided them with what looked like genuine First Order security codes that would enable them to get past the blockade. It was information that they sorely needed, for the blockades had been hampering any real progress they could make with the more mutinous systems. When they contacted Poe, he agreed that getting to Coruscant and finding the deserters should be their priority. Finding out their motives, and how they had broken their programming, would be essential if they were to convince more stormtrooper units to abandon the First Order.  
‘Get down there,’ he encouraged Finn and Rose, speaking via the ship’s console, ‘they can be our test case. Find out what’s important to them.’  
Signing off, Rose admitted to Finn that she was worried about the state of the ship following their attack at the Sinta Glacier Colony, but he managed to persuade her that it would see them through. Already she had done enough remedial work to return the shields to nearly their full strength. ‘Hopefully with these codes, the First Order will leave us alone.’  
‘That’s if they work.’ Rose was sceptical, finding it difficult to completely trust the mysterious informer. ’What would someone high up in the First Order stand to gain by betraying them?’  
‘It depends who it is,’ he said, shrugging. ‘Perhaps they want to undermine Kylo Ren?’  
It was a good enough answer. ‘That works for me,’ grinned Rose.  
Coming out of hyperspace, the planet of Coruscant loomed in the distance, filling the cockpit window. Neither Finn or Rose had visited the planet before, but they had heard plenty about it and the navicomputer had been updated with information contained in the data packet. Although the First Order had declared it their new headquarters, reviving its claim to be the centre of galactic life, trade and culture, first they had to get the fighting and insurrection under control. The city planet was currently a place of chaos, rival factions from above and below ground fighting it out for dominance of the ruined buildings.   
‘This says that Monument Plaza, the Senate building and the Chancellor’s Office have been claimed for the First Order, said Finn, reading the updated entry, ‘but the rest of the city sounds like it’s up for grabs.’  
‘What about the Jedi Temple?’ asked Rose, her anxiety rising as they headed towards the forbidding blockade of Star Destroyers surrounding the planet.  
‘I don’t know,’ said Finn, checking the data packet to make sure that they had the right code ready. ‘It doesn’t say but I guess Kylo Ren wouldn’t want to touch it. It was his grandfather that burnt it down.’  
‘What’s wrong with these Skywalkers?’ frowned Rose, slowing the ship down as they prepared to contact the lead ship for safe passage. ‘Why are they hellbent on destroying the galaxy?’  
‘I think Luke and Leia were the exception to that,’ said Finn, interrupted by a flashing light on the console, indicating an incoming call. Finn pressed the button to open the channel.  
’Please state your code and identification,’ came the voice over the comlink.  
‘GVR-675-987,’ said Finn, keeping his voice steady. ‘Building materials for the former Senate.’  
‘Permission granted,’ replied the voice, sounding bored. ‘Please report to landing platform 719 for disembarkation procedures. Remember that loyalty to the First Order brings rich rewards.’  
‘Thank you.’ Finn tried hard not to laugh and closed the channel. ‘What is going on with the First Order?’  
‘They want us to forget that they’re an oppressive, and murdering regime,’ said Rose, who was not in a forgiving mood. Checking the co-ordinates they had been given for the missing stormtroopers against the navi-computer, she went on, ‘Looks like they’re hiding out in the industrial district.’  
As they entered the planet’s upper atmosphere, the view below was obscured by thick fog, making it difficult to see. Relying on the scopes, Rose and Finn expertly steered the ship towards the north of the city. As they sped through the clouds, buildings came into focus, towering skyscrapers and buildings that had seen better days, still bearing their scars from the Clone Wars and its aftermath. Many of their windows were smashed, and there was evidence of fire and bomb damage. Lower down, a few speeders negotiated their way through the skyways but it was not the busy city that it had once been under the Republic. Unless one counted the round-the-clock patrols and war machines that were stationed throughout the city. But overall, the city gave off an air of desolation, with many of its buildings fallen into ruin or covered in graffiti and slogans.  
‘It’s going to take years to turn this place around,’ said Finn as they flew over several deserted districts that had once been alive with shops and services.  
‘The First Order must be using up a good chunk of their resources,’ was Rose’s comment. She hoped that it would steer the First Order’s concerns away from fleets and armies, but at present there was no sign of that happening.  
‘Industrial district coming right up,’ said Finn, his eyes glued to the navi-computer, ‘we’re looking for an abandoned warehouse.’  
‘Can you be more specific?’   
Stretching out before them was an entire district of warehouses, all of them abandoned. Once this part of the city had been a hub of activity, with factories of all kinds churning out a huge variety of products including droids, ship parts, weapons systems, and communication devices. Now it was almost all gone, laid waste by the armies of the Separatists during the Clone Wars. Large areas of the district had been bombed, leaving huge rain and rubbish-filled craters scattered across what was effectively wasteland.  
‘We’ll need to land as close to the co-ordinates as we can,’ cautioned Finn as Rose took the ship down, aware of the enormity of the task that lay before them. How could they find anyone in this mess? Let alone a group that were purposefully hiding out. If there was one silver lining, it was clear that the First Order did not have a strong presence in this part of the city. So far they had seen no patrols, and there was an absence of the larger AT-AT and AT-M6 vehicles that had been present in the city’s central area.  
‘How close are we?’ asked Rose, concentrating on steering the ship through the broken remains of what had once been a power station.  
‘Close enough.’  
Carefully, Rose landed the ship on a patch of waste ground just behind the power station, and in front of a row of warehouses. Like the other buildings they had seen, the warehouses were in a dilapidated state, with smashed windows and crumbling facades. ‘It doesn’t look very promising.’  
‘No,’ said Finn, grabbing his blaster from the console, ‘but if I was hiding out, I’d choose somewhere unpromising too.’  
She smiled, ‘I thought I was supposed to be the optimistic one?’  
Finn grinned, ‘Me too.’ Gently, he mussed her hair. ‘Come on, let’s find these stormtroopers.’  
Following Finn out of the cockpit, Rose grabbed her blaster on the way out. Lowering the ramp, they exited the ship quickly and ran over to the side of the warehouse, using the piles of rubbish as cover. Flitting their way across the waste ground, they stopped to get their bearings at the corner of the building. From there, they could see the industrial landscape opening up before them. It was a scene of decay. The remains of shipyards, fallen chimneys, rows of old pipelines and rotting platforms were interspersed with tumbled down factories, their insides open to the sky. There was not a single soul to be seen.  
Rose checked the co-ordinates again. ‘It’s pointing to a warehouse on the far side, over to the left by that old tower.’  
‘Let’s go and check it out.’ Making sure he had his blaster to hand, Finn led the way across the wasteland, sprinting from one pile of rubble to another. He felt something tingling in the Force, drawing him on. It was a presence. Of whom, he did not know. But somehow he could tell it was friendly.  
They had almost reached the tower when, all of a sudden, a figure appeared on top of a nearby junk pile, brandishing a large blaster in their direction. ‘Stop right there!’  
Realising it was a young woman, Finn stopped, Rose ploughing into the back of him. They stared at each other; the newcomer was dressed in clothes that looked like they had been cobbled together by someone who did not have the first idea about fashion. She was wearing a long yellow cape, dark green trousers, a cream leather tunic and sandals. Her curly hair was held back by a pair of goggles, her features well defined and attractive against smooth, dark skin. ‘Who are you?’ she challenged them, still pointing the blaster in their direction.  
‘I’m Finn, and this is Rose.’ He felt no animosity from her, quite the opposite. She was curious about why they were there. ‘We’re with the Resistance.’  
‘The Resistance?’ She scrambled down the pile, coming to a stop just in front of Finn. ‘Really?’  
‘Yes.’ Finn thought she was about his age, maybe younger. ’What’s your name?’  
‘I’m Jannah.’ She looked at them both, ‘What brings you here?’  
‘We’re looking for some stormtroopers that deserted from the First Order,’ said Rose, deciding to be honest with the young woman. Like Finn, she thought Jannah seemed open, her eyes honest. ‘We’ve heard that they’re hiding out here.’  
‘Then you’ve come to the right place,’ said Jannah cheerfully, putting her blaster away in a large holster that hung behind her shoulder. ‘I’m one of them.’  
‘You are?’ Finn could not believe their luck. Or maybe it wasn’t luck but the Force. He was still working out how to make the most of his ability but he definitely felt that he and Rose had been meant to meet this young woman.   
‘Come on, I’ll take you to meet the others.’ Assuming they would follow her, Jannah moved off, staying close to the piles of rubbish, just as Finn and Rose had.  
‘I should have noticed sooner that something wasn’t quite right,’ he said to Rose as they followed behind her, ‘that’s a First Order blaster.’  
‘We need to be careful though,’ warned Rose, worried that they were being too trusting. Even if Jannah was friendly, it did not mean all ex-stormtroopers were.  
‘I know,’ said Finn, acknowledging her concern. ‘But trust me, I’ve got a good feeling about this.’  
When they caught up with her, Jannah told them that she had been out scavenging that morning. It had been a last minute decision, usually she went out in the afternoons when the pollution was lower. ‘I don’t usually go this way either. Something must have led me to you.’  
‘It was the Force,’ said Finn, much to Jannah’s surprise.  
‘But how?’  
‘It did?’ This confused Rose too; she was sure it had been the stolen information that had led them to Jannah.  
‘I don’t know how,’ admitted Finn, wishing that Rey was there to help him explain. ‘I’m just finding out about it myself.’  
‘Whatever it was, I’m glad of it,’ said Jannah, leading them towards what appeared to be a boarded up doorway in one of the warehouses. ‘We’ve been hiding out here for months, unsure what to do. Who to contact.’ She pulled away one of the boards to reveal a narrow entrance. Gesturing for Finn and Rose to go inside, she watched carefully, making sure that no-one had been tracking them. Then she followed them inside. As she secured the board back across the entrance, she said to Finn and Rose, ‘It’s not just the First Order we’re hiding from in here. There’s rival gangs, Vader cultists. So much unrest.’  
‘It makes you wonder why the First Order want to rebuild here,’ said Rose as she followed Jannah gingerly down a rubbish-strewn corridor. There was glass all over the floor from the smashed windows, and wooden beams that had fallen down when the ceiling collapsed, making it treacherous underfoot.  
‘I’ve no idea,’ admitted Jannah cheerfully, ‘It seems Kylo Ren is taking them in a strange new direction.’ She paused at a set of double doors, ‘The rest of us are through here.’  
Opening the doors, Finn stepped onto a balcony that looked out over the warehouse floor. It was connected to a walkway that ran around the entire perimeter of the building, flights of stairs leading downwards either side. Below, on the warehouse floor, the former stormtroopers had established their community. There were tents made out of recycled materials, an open-plan kitchen and sitting area. People were milling around, chatting to each other, or engaged in activities such as making clothes, or preparing food. Several of them were holding babies, who were fast asleep despite the activity. There was a sense of peace, of together-ness.  
‘We make everything ourselves,’ said Jannah, looking down on the scene with pride. ‘Our clothes, our homes. We didn’t know how to do anything except fight so we’ve had to relearn everything. All they taught us in the First Order was how to kill.’  
‘I know,’ said Finn softly, remembered his own induction and training.  
Jannah looked at him in confusion. ‘You do?’  
‘I was a stormtrooper too,’ explained Finn, ‘FN-2187. I worked on the Supremacy until they wanted me to serve.’  
‘How did you get out?’  
‘I was sent to Jakku, to a village of civilians. The First Order told us that they were dangerous rebels, hiding a fugitive, but all I saw were people, young and old. Yes they had weapons but they used them for defence.’  
‘What happened?’ Although Jannah spoke, Rose was listening intently too. She had never heard the full story of Finn’s escape from the First Order.  
‘Kylo Ren was looking for a map to find Luke Skywalker. When he didn’t find it, he… he murdered their leader and told us to exterminate the whole village. I couldn’t do it. I knew it was wrong.’  
‘I was TZ-1719,’ said Jannah, remembering her own experience of desertion. ‘We were stationed here for months before we were called up to Ansett Island. It was our turn to serve, they said. But we wouldn’t go. We refused to leave Coruscant and deserted before they could force us. The whole squad. We didn’t know why - like you, we just felt it was wrong.’  
Finn was greatly affected by Jannah’s story. ‘There has to be more of us,’ he said fervently, ‘we can’t be the only ones who couldn’t do what the First Order wanted us to do.’  
‘There’s rumours of other deserters,’ agreed Jannah, ‘small pockets of resistance wherever there are troops stationed on the ground. But we’ve not been able to get off Coruscant to go and find them.’  
‘That’s what we’re going to do,’ said Finn, feeling hopeful that he, Jannah, and the rest of her community, were not the only ones to break their programming. ‘If you can share your information with us, we can go and find them.’  
‘It’s definitely a problem for the First Order,’ said Rose, looking happily at the scene below them. ’They’re opening up a new academy which takes in adult recruits instead of relying on kidnapped children.’   
‘They are learning then,’ said Jannah, interested to hear more. ‘But it’s too late for those who were taken from their families. I know we’ve made a family here for ourselves but…’ she trailed off, the strength of her emotions overwhelming her.  
‘We can help you,’ said Finn earnestly, drawn to Jannah and her open nature. ‘To find your family. Where you come from.’  
‘How?’ Jannah had no idea how they would accomplish it.   
‘It’s just an idea at the moment,’ explained Rose, ‘but we’re trying to find a way to get into the First Order’s archives. To get hold of their data about the children they’ve taken.’  
‘Do you think they have that information?’ Jannah wanted to know.  
‘We don’t know what they have,’ said Finn, leaning against the edge of the balcony. ‘But they must have collected something. They’re obsessed with collecting information to feed into their simulations and databases.’  
‘That’s true,’ said Jannah with a smile. ‘Meredith, who you’ll meet later, used to process some of those databases. Perhaps she will know more about what kinds of information they collect. But I don’t know how you’re going to get close enough to actually find that information.’  
‘It seems that one of the higher ranking officers in the First Order is prepared to pass on information to the Resistance,’ said Rose conversationally. ‘If the connection works out, it might be one way we can get hold of what we need.’  
‘What?’ Jannah was all ears, ‘Who is it?’  
‘We don’t know yet,’ admitted Rose, ‘and we’re not entirely sure that we can trust them. But we got through the blockade because of the codes they gave us.’  
Jannah looked hopeful. ‘That’s a big deal…’  
‘Hey Jannah.’ A young man appeared on the stairs, eager to find out who she was talking to. ‘I thought you’d gone scavenging?’  
‘I did,’ said Jannah, brightly. ‘I found these two, Finn and Rose. They’re with the Resistance.’  
‘You are?’ the man, whose name was Kandor, looked at them both with amazement. ‘How did you find us?’  
‘We had a tip-off,’ smiled Finn.  
‘Finn used to be a stormtrooper too,’ said Jannah, to Kandor’s amazement.  
‘What, there’s more of us?’ Kandor said excitedly, ’You’ll have to come and meet everyone,’ he said to Finn.  
‘Let’s go and get something to drink,’ said Jannah, ushering them all down the stairs, ‘we can introduce you to everyone at the same time.’  
With drinks and refreshments ready, Jannah called the whole community together to come and meet Finn and Rose. After a short introduction, Jannah encouraged Finn to tell them his story, of how he had come to join the Resistance. After Finn had finished, Jannah encouraged Rose to also tell them her story. Even if she had not been part of the First Order, their tyranny had played an important part in her life, and she told them about her life in the mining colony of Hays Minor, and the death of her sister, Paige. The group listened quietly, sharing their own stories in response. Most of them had the same epiphany, not quite knowing why they did not want to fight, only knowing that it was wrong.  
But some of the community were less certain about why the Resistance were interested in them. Some complained that they did not want to join another cause if it meant killing other stormtroopers. Others wanted to be left alone, to enjoy their freedom.  
‘These are all valid responses,’ said Finn, when the hubbub had died down. ‘We’re not here to recruit you, although it would be wonderful if you did want to join us.’  
‘We do need your help,’ continued Rose, ‘but with something else in mind. Not to fight. We need your ideas…’  
‘Ideas of how we can encourage stormtroopers who are still trapped in the First Order to rebel,’ continued Finn, gazing around the group. It was only a small community, about thirty or so people. But as Leia had told the Resistance many times, from small beginnings, great things can grow. ‘If we can turn more troops against the First Order then we stand a better chance of defeating them.’  
‘The Resistance itself is only small, and more and more systems are opting to accept their rule rather than fight it,’ said Rose. ‘We need a way to stop them, without bloodshed.’  
This appealed to some of the community members who had been hostile towards them earlier, the idea that instead of fighting, they could encourage other stormtroopers to lay down their arms like they had.  
‘Without their fleets and their armies, the First Order will be finished,’ said Jannah, looking supportively at Finn and Rose. ‘They rely on the lost children to ensure their military might.’  
‘The lost children?’ asked Finn, intrigued by the name.  
‘That’s what we call ourselves and the other stormtroopers,’ said another of the women, Jaydee. ‘We’re not killing machines, we never wanted to be a part of this war. But the programming seems to affect us all differently - some of us are more fortunate in that we can see through it. Reject it.’  
‘Others are not quite so lucky,’ added Kandor sympathetically, ‘the ones that are happy to follow orders. They will be the hardest to reach.’  
Finn nodded. ‘But we need to reach them too. They’re victims of the First Order as much as we are.’ He liked the name, the ‘Lost Children.’ It reminded him that the stormtroopers and pilots he faced in combat were human too, as much as the First Order tried to suggest otherwise by encasing them in armour.  
The meeting degenerated into many different conversations as the community discussed amongst themselves how best to reach those trapped inside the First Order. Rose and Finn walked around, talking to as many people as possible, listening to their ideas and taking them on board, Rose noting everything down. It was a unanimous decision that the best approach would be to get hold of any information the First Order had on their recruits, to prove to people that they had been taken from their families. Everyone in the community was desperate for such information.  
It was late by the time Finn and Rose had gathered all the information they needed, storing it on a data pad to take back with them to Ajan Kloss. Whilst Rose talked to some of the women about their experiences within the First Order, Finn made a beeline for Jannah. He did not quite know why but he felt a connection with her, despite only meeting her that morning. He could not explain it and he was intrigued to find out if she had any sensitivity in the Force.  
‘Not that I know of,’ said Jannah, taking a seat next to him on a bench. ‘I don’t even know what that means.’  
‘The Force… it’s the energy that surrounds us and creates life,’ Finn tried to explain, knowing that he would not do as good a job as Rey. ‘Those who are strong in the Force are able to use that energy in different ways. They can sense how people feel, what they are thinking. They can lift objects up into the air and move them around. Other things too.’ He saw that Jannah was struggling to make sense of his words, ‘I’m not making much sense, am I?’  
‘You are,’ insisted Jannah, ‘only, we were told that the Force wasn’t as powerful as people like to believe it is. I mean, we all saw Kylo Ren and what he was capable of. But we were made to think that he was not normal.’  
‘No, he’s not normal,’ frowned Finn, remembering his own experiences of Kylo Ren. ‘But he’s not the only powerful Force user. My friend Rey - she’s training to be a Jedi. She can use the Force in ways I can’t even begin to imagine.’ When Jannah remained silent, reflecting on his words, Finn went on. ‘The Force brought us together, Jannah. I can’t really explain how I know this but it was a feeling that led me to you. And I think it led you to us too.’  
Jannah nodded, ‘I can’t explain it either but… something made me leave the community this morning.’ She smiled faintly, ‘It’s the same as when I knew I couldn’t shoot innocent people. Something told me that it was wrong, even though all my training to that point had prepared me to be a soldier.’  
‘Come back with us to Ajan Kloss,’ suggested Finn. When Jannah looked reluctant, he pressed her. ‘We could really use your help. To look for other deserters, to work on how we’re going to get larger numbers of troops to turn their backs on the First Order.’  
‘I want to help,’ she began, looking over to where members of her community were starting to wind down for the evening. ’But equally, I don’t want to leave. What we have here is family.’  
‘The Resistance is like a family too,’ said Finn encouragingly, ‘you already know Rose, and me. There’s no hierarchy, we all muck in to get things done. We make the most of the few resources we have. It’s similar to your community in many ways.’  
Jannah considered the idea. ‘I will come,’ she said eventually, knowing it was a hard decision but the right one. ‘I want to help you reach more of us.’  
‘Thank you,’ Finn was pleased. Although he loved his friends, it would be good to have another ex-stormtrooper to help with their plans. Someone who knew what they, and others like them, had been through.  
‘I was talking to Kandor and Jaydee,’ said Jannah, as they walked back over to where Rose was waiting, ‘they’re happy to set up a Resistance cell here on Coruscant, to be a point of contact for other deserters. It’s something we’ve always talked about, but you coming here has finally spurred us into action.’  
‘That’s a great idea,’ agreed Finn, smiling at Rose when they reached her. ‘Jannah’s agreed to come back with us to Ajan Kloss.’  
‘That’s brilliant news!’ Rose had warmed to Jannah over the course of the day, coming to realise that she was friendly, insightful and thoughtful, as well as an inspiring leader. ‘I guess Finn has told you that the Resistance is as much a family as a military movement?’  
‘He has,’ replied Jannah, ‘I’m looking forward to meeting everyone.’  
They agreed with Jannah to return to Ajan Kloss in the morning, to give her enough time to prepare to leave the family she had come to love.


	11. Lando, Chewie and Rey return to Ajan Kloss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back on Ajan Kloss, Rey reveals to Poe what she has found on Jakku - the Sith Knife and the strange device - and they agree that she needs to get them translated. Lando tells them what he has been doing all these years and what he knows about the Emperor's plans for the First Order. Jannah gets to know everyone. Rey has a Force bond with Kylo Ren and accepts that she needs his help to fight the darkness.

As soon as the Falcon arrived back on Ajan Kloss, Poe was eager to get hold of Rey, interested to see what was in the data-packet that she had collected for them on Lothal. He cornered her in the hangar bay whilst she was helping Chewbacca to unload the ship, gently berating her for taking her time getting back.  
‘I’m sorry,’ said Rey, embarrassed. ‘We made an unscheduled stop.’  
‘Where at?’ asked Poe, even more surprised when Lando appeared, coming down the ramp with Chewbacca.   
‘Jakku,’ said Lando helpfully, coming over to meet Poe. ‘That’s where she found me!’  
‘What were you doing on Jakku?’ asked Poe, grasping Lando’s hand in friendship. For years, Leia had wondered what had happened to Lando and what he had been up to, and Poe was glad that he had finally reappeared in their hour of need.  
‘It’s a long story,’ said Lando, leaning on his cane. On the return journey, he had been devastated to learn of Leia’s death, having been so far under the radar that he had not heard about her passing. He had not known about Luke, or Han either, sharing a deep sense of grief with Chewie and Rey, especially upon learning how Han had died.  
Later, after Lando had told Poe about his fruitless search for his daughter, Poe left him with Rose and Finn, who agreed to update the former General on the Resistance’s current strategy. He went to talk with Rey, wanting to see the knife and the recording that she had found on Jakku. Already Connix had started to digest the data-packet from Kai Tyrrel, the information contained within it joining up with what L9-D9 had told them on Tatooine; that there was growing disaffection amongst the criminals, smugglers and pirates of the Outer Rim against the First Order, pushing some of them towards supporting the Resistance.  
For a long time, Poe looked at the knife and the recording device, which Rey had laid out helpfully on the console. ’You found these at the Emperor’s observatory?’ he asked eventually. Seeing Rey nod, he went on, ‘And they’re important?’  
‘Yes. The Force led me to them,’ Rey said, unsure how else to explain it. She could see that Poe was struggling to be enthusiastic about either object.  
‘I’ll take your word for it.’ Poe was getting used to Rey’s approach, she was clearly not a team player like he wanted her to be. But he could work around it.  
‘Hey guys,’ said a third voice, ‘I came as soon as I heard you had some objects for me to look at.’  
Turning round, Poe saw Beaumont Kin, approaching. Slightly younger than Poe, he was one of the Resistance pilots who, on the side, had a passion for history, particularly the conflicts between the Jedi and the Sith. If anyone knew what the objects meant, it would be him.  
‘Hey Beaumont,’ Poe indicated the two objects on the console in front of him. ‘Be my guest.’  
Beaumont picked up the knife first, looking at it with astonishment. He had read many books about the Sith but he had never been fortunate enough to come face to face with an actual object owned by one. ‘Where did you find this?’  
‘On Jakku, in the Emperor’s observatory,’ Rey explained, pleased that someone appreciated the objects that she had found.  
‘The Plaintive Hand?’  
‘Yes. Do you know much about it?’  
‘A little,’ said Beaumont, humbly. ‘It’s believed that the Emperor established several observatories across the galaxy to monitor activity in the Unknown Regions,’ he explained, turning the knife over in his hands, ‘but the one on Jakku was the most important. When Gallius Rex returned there around the time of the Battle of Jakku, it’s believed that he took with him the last remnants of Palpatine’s forces.’  
‘Why?’ asked Poe, ‘what was Palpatine looking for?’  
‘No one knows for sure, but it’s thought he was searching for a source of dark side power.’ Beaumont finally put the knife down, ‘When the First Order emerged from the Unknown Regions, we knew it wasn’t a coincidence.’  
The name Exegol popped into Rey’s head quite unprompted.  
‘The resources to build their fleets had to come from somewhere,’ said Poe drily, ‘tech like that doesn’t build itself.’  
‘Exactly, but we’re still no closer to knowing anything about their origins,’ said Beaumont. ‘Snoke kept a pretty tight rein on any information slipping out that would explain the First Order’s rise to power. And it seems that Kylo Ren is the same.’  
‘Perhaps he doesn’t know,’ Rey blurted out.   
Poe stared at her, ‘What do you mean?’  
‘About the origins of the First Order,’ she explained, trying to remember what Lando had told her on the journey back. ‘Lando found out that one of the objectives of the First Order was to get their revenge on those who defeated the Empire. Snoke kidnapped and brainwashed their children, including Ben Solo. To use them against the Republic.’  
‘What? Kylo Ren was brainwashed?’ Poe looked sceptical, ‘I don’t buy that.’  
‘You don’t have to, but it’s the truth,’ said Lando, coming over to join them, followed by Rose and Finn. ‘I knew Ben as a child. He was always a handful but he wasn’t evil.’ He patted Rey on the shoulder. ‘Just like Rey, he is immensely strong in the Force. Imagine that power used for good, for the Republic. Snoke wanted that power for himself.’  
‘How did you find this out?’ It was hard to believe that Kylo Ren was not responsible for his own destiny, especially after his awful behaviour on Crait. However, Poe had to admit that the Supreme Leader had behaved somewhat erratically since the removal of Snoke’s malign influence. Maybe there was something in it?  
‘Only very recently,’ Lando explained, taking a seat. ‘For over twenty years I’ve been searching for my daughter. I’ve followed every lead, every little scrap of information… and I’ve been to some awful places. Awful places. But slowly, I pieced things together and it started to make sense. That there was a reason my daughter was taken. Why Ben turned to the dark side. It wasn’t coincidence.’ Looking over to Rose and Finn, he smiled at them. ‘That’s why what you’re doing is the right thing. All those stormtroopers, pilots and officers. They never knew their families. They don’t deserve to die.’  
All of them were affected by Lando’s words. It was easy to see First Order personnel as cannon fodder, dehumanised instruments of the First Order. But that was what the First Order wanted. Instead they were manipulated, abused children. Including, it seemed, their present leader.  
‘The brainwashing can break down,’ said Finn earnestly, ‘not for everyone, but for some.’  
‘How so?’ queried Poe.  
‘We don’t know, it’s too random at the moment,’ explained Finn. ‘We need to find a way that will break down the programming for all recruits.’ Without really knowing why, he looked over at Lando and said, ‘Come and meet Jannah. She’s going to help us think about how we can encourage more stormtroopers to leave the First Order.’  
Whilst Finn took Lando to meet Jannah, Rey turned her attention to the recording. She played it again, listening to the strange guttural language.  
‘What does that say?’ asked Poe, who had been looking at the knife.  
’I don’t know. It’s something to do with Exegol.’  
‘What’s Exegol?’ asked Poe, confused, thinking he should know the name.  
‘A planet, I think,’ said Rey. ‘Luke thought it was connected to the growing darkness.’  
‘What growing darkness?’ Poe frowned, wondering what she was talking about.  
‘There’s an imbalance in the Force,’ she tried to explain, but Poe still looked confused.  
‘It would make sense,’ said Beaumont, turning his attention away from the knife. ‘The Force was supposed to be balanced with Palpatine’s death at the hands of the Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker. But the rise of the First Order, the power of Snoke and Kylo Ren, suggests that the dark side has grown stronger again.’  
‘That’s possible?’ Poe felt out if his depth with all the talk of the Force and the dark side.  
‘Yes, that’s why the Jedi were needed, to keep the balance.’ Rey had a brainwave, remembering what Beaumont had said earlier before talk had turned to the kidnapping of children. ‘If the Emperor was looking for a source of dark energy in the Unknown Regions, and that’s where the First Order came from, what if this Exegol connects them both together?’  
‘You might be on to something there, Rey,’ said Poe, admiring her ability to make sense of the archaic information. ‘What do you need to do to help us make sense of all this?’  
‘She needs to get that translated,’ said Beaumont, meaning the recording.  
Rey nodded. ‘We need someone to take a look at this knife too.’   
Poe looked at the runes carved into its blade. ‘What language is this?’  
‘I think it’s the Old Tongue,’ said Beaumont, ‘an ancient language, used by the Sith. It’s likely the recording is in the same language.’  
‘Can you translate it?’  
‘No.’  
‘Does Threepio speak Sith?’ Poe wanted to know.  
‘No,’ said Beaumont with a snort, ‘it was forbidden knowledge during the time of the Republic. I doubt anyone can speak it, now.’  
‘Then we’re stuck,’ sighed Rey, feeling disheartened. Its secrets would stay firmly locked away.  
‘Not necessarily,’ said Beaumont with a sudden thought, ‘there might be someone on Kijimi.’  
‘Kijimi?’ Rey had never heard of it.  
‘It’s a planet in the Mid Rim, with ancient stone cities and temples in the mountains.’ explained Poe, who did know it.   
‘It’s also got one of the oldest academies in the galaxy,’ added Beaumont, ‘originally set up by the Jedi Order. My father studied there. If there’s a scholar who knows the language and culture of the Sith, they’re bound to be on Kijimi.’  
‘Do people really study such things?’ Rey wanted to know.  
‘Yes,’ nodded Beaumont with a faint smile, ‘you’d be surprised what people are interested in.’  
‘It’s a long shot,’ smiled Poe, raking his hands through his dark, wavy hair. ‘But when has that ever stopped us? I just so happen to have a contact on Kijimi. Zorri Bliss. She might be able to help us. I’ll get in touch with her and see what she says.’ He looked at Rey with gentle concern, ‘Are you alright to take this mission on your own? I know it’s gonna be tough but I need Finn and Rose elsewhere.’  
‘Of course,’ she smiled. ‘Who’s Zorri Bliss?’ She thought the name sounded fun and mysterious.  
‘She’s an old friend of mine,’ explained Poe, with a touch of embarrassment. ‘She’s er, taken a very different path to me in life. She’s a spice runner.’  
‘Oh, okay.’ Rey was interested why Poe’s friend had made such a choice, but she did not need to ask any more questions. Having grown up amongst criminals and those on the fringes of society, she took people as they came.   
‘I’ll get onto it straight away,’ said Poe, realising it was getting late and he still had a hundred things to do before bed time. ‘She’s not the easiest person to track down.’  
‘Thanks, Poe.’ Leaving the knife and recording with Beaumont, who had agreed to look through any books he had to see if he could dig up anything more about the two objects, Rey returned to her quarters, desperate for a rest. Undressing quickly, she changed into looser, more comfortable sleeping clothes and climbed into bed. Although she had not mentioned it to Poe, she was anxious about going to Kijimi. About delving into the dark side of the Force. She knew less about the Sith than she did about the Jedi, but even the name struck fear into her heart. The reality that the Acolyte on Lothal would have readily killed her in order to save his own life, and the unnatural strength by which Ochi had overcome her in the observatory on Jakku, was enough to make her realise how dangerous and unpredictable the disciples of the dark side were. Even Ben.  
Thinking about him, she remembered that she had wanted to ask him more about the dark side. Reaching out with the Force, she tried to find his presence but either she could not concentrate properly or he was unwilling to speak to her - which was not surprising considering their last conversation - and she could not find him. After a while she gave up and tried to get some much needed rest. But it was not a peaceful sleep, her dreams were full of terrifying images and impressions, of violence and huge eyes staring at her with malevolent intent.   
The next day, she woke up feeling anxious and fretful. After her morning run, she went to see Poe, who told her that he would need a few days to get in touch with Zorri. It was proving more tricky than he thought to track her down. Then, she bumped into Beaumont, who wanted to study the knife and the recording more closely, which she agreed to. Going to check on the Falcon, she found that it too was grounded for a while, needing yet more repairs.  
‘Something is conspiring to keep me here,’ she complained to nobody in particular. After wasting much of her life waiting on Jakku, she found it difficult to stay in one place, she needed to get out there, to do something. Yet there was little she could do, she had to be patient.  
Seeing that she was confined to Ajan Kloss for a while, Rey returned to her Jedi training, and the lightsaber that she had started to build around the crystal she had found. It sat on her workbench, unfinished. Resources were at a premium for the Resistance and it had proved difficult to find a couple of the parts that she needed. But she returned to what she was good at, scavenging bits from here and there, begging and borrowing where she could, and soon she had what she needed. Already, she had been forced to innovate, using her staff for the weapon’s handle, deciding that from now on she would concentrate on becoming more proficient with a lightsaber rather than relying on the more brutal weapon of her youth.  
In-between building her lightsaber and training routine, Rey got to spend some much-needed time with Finn, Rose and their new friend, Jannah. Rey warmed to Jannah straight away, liking her innate optimism and exuberance for life, her loud and infectious laughter. She was also kind and empathetic, encouraging Poe to call the First Order’s personnel, ‘The Lost Children,’ the name she had adopted for them. ‘We need to humanise them,’ said Poe, when he explained the choice of name to the rest of the Resistance. ‘We need to stop thinking of them as the enemy but as victims of the First Order. ’  
This had sat well with Finn, who was becoming more and more interested in finding out who his own family were, something that he had not really considered before. Finding out that the Force might also have had something to do with Jannah’s defection, had also sparked Finn’s interest in his sensitivity to it, Rey suggesting that they could start training together, if he liked. When Finn said yes, he would like to, they spent an enjoyable evening in the jungle once they had completed all their other tasks, Rey helping Finn to understand what gifts he had and where these might take him. Rey could see that he was intuitive, with heightened perceptions and the ability to read peoples’ emotions and feelings. With practice and training, she told him that he would be a formidable Force user one day.   
‘Really?’ Finn had been stoked, really pleased. ‘You can see that?’  
‘I can,’ said Rey in all seriousness, although Finn was already wondering what kind of robes he should wear and what colour lightsaber he would have. ‘Slow down,’ she giggled, seeing he was getting carried away. ‘Learn the basics first.’  
‘Of course, Master Rey,’ he said obsequiously, which made them both laugh.  
It had made Rose and Jannah laugh too when she told them about it the next day, when they were having a much needed break in one of the makeshift relaxation areas towards the back of the main hangar. It was a collection of chairs around a small table, usually covered with an array of empty paper cups. Resistance personnel were not the most tidy of people, which drove Rey and Rose mad at times.  
‘Finn adores, you, doesn’t he?’ noticed Jannah, astutely, finishing the last of what the Resistance jokingly called caf.  
Rey blushed. ‘We’re good friends,’ she said firmly, seeing that there was a twinkle in Jannah’s eyes. ‘I owe him a lot. Without meeting him I might never have left Jakku.’  
‘And you don’t like him a little bit more than a friend?’ asked Jannah, cheekily. She had already asked Finn the same question; whilst he had admitted that, ’it would be nice if we were,’ he had told her that he saw Rey as his sister, more than anything else.  
It was the same for Rey. ‘He’s like the brother I never had. We love each other very much but I…’ she trailed off, finding it difficult to say what she meant.   
‘It’s okay,’ said Jannah, thinking that she had been unfair. ‘I get what you mean. It really is like a family here.’  
‘It is,’ agreed Rose. Her own, romantic feelings for Finn had died down, now that she could see that they would be close friends but nothing more. ‘We’ve all lost our families in this war. We find them where we can.’  
‘We do,’ agreed Jannah, smiling sadly. ‘Hopefully we can help the others to find their families too, whether that’s their real families or to create new ones with each other like we have on Coruscant.’  
Whilst Jannah went to get some more drinks for them all from the canteen, Rose asked Rey how her training was going.  
‘I’m okay on the physical stuff,’ she said, and heaved a big sigh. ‘But I can’t get the mindset right. A Jedi should be calm and collected, able to deal with their emotions. That’s not me.’  
‘Then you’re like any other person,’ said Rose gently, wondering if Rey was struggling because she was missing Leia’s gentle humour and infinite patience to guide her. ‘Our emotions are what make us human. I doubt even the Jedi were that perfect.’  
Rey smiled, ‘That’s what Luke said. Even he thought the Jedi code was too strict.’  
‘Then he must be right.’ Rose patted her arm, ‘You know we’re all here for you, Rey, don’t you. Finn, me, Jannah too. We’ll help you however we can, even if its just getting you drinks and snacks.’  
‘What’s that?’ Jannah made that her moment to return, her tray laden with drinks and packets of cakes and biscuits.  
‘I was just saying to Rey,’ laughed Rose, helping herself to some biscuits, ‘we can help her with her Jedi training, even if it’s just making sure she eats and drinks enough.’  
‘Too right,’ smiled Jannah, settling back down on the couch next to Rose, ‘anything you want, we’ll make sure you’ve got it! As many of these as you need.’ She threw a packet of biscuits over to Rey, who caught them deftly.  
‘How did you know?’  
‘I’m a quick learner,’ winked Jannah, tucking into one of the cakes. Immediately her face screwed up, ‘Urgh! This is disgusting!’  
‘Sorry, we should have warned you,’ said Rose apologetically, ‘the cakes are well past their best. Better to stick to the biscuits.’  
Jannah threw the half-eaten cake down into the tray, ‘Now you tell me!’  
Laughing at her expression, Rey reached over to her two friends, hugging them both close to her. ‘It’s so good to have you both here.’ Just talking to them, laughing about silly things, made her feel so much better.  
Yet she felt guilty that she was still keeping many things from her friends, not least her concerns about the influence of the dark side growing inside her. About the strange dreams, visions and voices that assaulted her daily, and were growing in intensity, leaving her exhausted and confused. Perhaps it was her exposure to the darkness on Lothal and Ossus, perhaps it had been her experience in the Emperor’s Observatory, but something had crept into her mind and was festering there. There was only one person that she knew could help her but he was still proving evasive.  
It was late by the time Rey left Rose and Jannah to get some much needed rest. After undressing, she changed into her pyjamas and brushed her teeth, taking her hair out to complete her bedtime ritual. She turned away from the mirror and was just going towards her bed when she realised that she was not alone.  
Someone was sitting on her bed.  
‘Ben?’   
He had his eyes closed and appeared to be meditating. Like her, he looked as if he was ready for bed, dressed only in some thin, low-waisted pants, his chest gleaming in the soft light of the bedside lamp. Reluctantly, her eyes were drawn to the pale knots of flesh on his skin where the lightsaber wounds had healed badly, to the large slash on his abdomen where the bolts from Chewbacca’s crossbow had seared him. Reminders of the violence surrounding his father’s death.  
Hearing her voice, Ben opened his eyes. Although he remained calm, deep inside he felt both surprise and pleasure at her appearance. Since he had opened the holocron, his horror at being duped by Snoke had curdled into anger, and then into a fierce rage, expressed in a spree of violent destruction with his Knights that he had barely been able to contain. Once the rage drained out of him, he had managed to pull himself together, and decided to make a concerted effort to find Rey. He was eager to tell her about the dyad, to let her know that there was a concrete reason why the Force had joined them together.  
For a long moment they stared at each other, realising that there had been another significant change in their connection to each other. This time, they could not only see each other but could see glimpses of each other’s thoughts and feelings, what was going on inside each other’s heads, without even trying.  
‘You know,’ said Ben, sensing that her feelings towards him, whilst still in flux, had changed too. Her compassion for him was much more prominent, her initial response to his presence far less uneasy than before.  
‘That you didn’t choose the dark side. That Snoke manipulated you. Yes,’ she whispered, still reeling from the images and sensations that came to her through the Force. In his mind there was turmoil and confusion, but beneath it all was the pain of longing for.… for her?  
‘It was and it wasn’t.’ Like most things in his life, the distinction between what had been his choice, and what had been forced upon him by others, was not a clear one.  
‘A choice?’  
He nodded. ‘You were looking for me?’  
Rey came to sit beside him on the bed, deciding to be honest with him. ‘I need help. The darkness. It’s got inside me.’  
‘You’ve accepted it, then?’  
‘Yes. But I don’t know why it’s there.’  
‘Can I see?’  
She knew what he wanted to do and was about to say yes, when it crossed her mind that part of him might be pleased this was happening to her. ‘You will help me. Won’t you?’  
‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said softly, seeing her hesitation. ‘I won’t hurt you.’  
Despite her concerns, she wanted to believe him, and waited patiently for him to touch her.  
Tentatively, he reached out and, placed the very tips of his fingers on her forehead. Immediately, as before, an electric rush of emotions, images and sensations assaulted them both, as if an engine had violently been kickstarted. Waiting for the tide to calm down, Ben watched her attentively. ‘Okay?’  
‘Yes,’ Rey whispered. What she had seen in that moment confused her. There had been a battle with strange armoured figures, and whispering voices that called from the dark. A hideous creature with waving tentacles. Ben angrily slashing with his lightsaber, and the ruins of an ancient temple.  
‘Try and empty your mind.’ When she relaxed and allowed him inside, he gently probed into her memories, trying to find the source of the darkness. After a few moments of searching, he realised that she was struggling with emotions and deep-seated fears that she could not let go of. Trauma that stemmed from her terrible childhood on Jakku. He had seen her memories before but this time he went further, delving beneath the loneliness, right into her childhood.   
‘I see… I see danger… neglect,’ he said, trying to put into words what he found inside. ‘Violence… from those who were supposed to care for you. Always hungry… never enough of anything. They starved you. Of everything. You tried to do what they wanted. To stop the pain. But… it was never enough.’  
Tears coursed down her cheeks but she said nothing, listening intently.  
Pushing harder, as much as he dared, he found his way into memories that she had tried to suppress, burying them so deep inside that the images appeared hazy and incomplete. ‘They came for you at night… trying to hide away, scared that they’d find you.’ For a moment, he paused, ‘It’s too much?’  
His probing was uncomfortable - she did not imagine she would ever welcome it - but it did not cause the pain that she remembered upon their first meeting. Perhaps because she was not resisting him this time. ‘It’s okay. Keep going.’  
Sifting and searching, he carried on, his concern for her growing as her life lay revealed before him. ‘So much anger… you wanted them back but they never came… marking every day until they would return…’ He stopped, seeing nothing valuable in continuing, her discomfort evident. ’You’re haunted by the past,’ he concluded. ‘You fear what others might do to you if you let them get too close.’  
A tear trickled down Rey’s cheek. ‘I can’t trust anyone. Except myself.’  
‘It wants you to feel alone. It wants you to doubt that anyone can love you.’ It was the same that Snoke had said to him.  
‘But that’s not all, is it?’ Wiping her eyes, she looked at him bravely. ‘I want you to see everything.’  
‘Okay.’ Carefully, he went back in, trying other avenues until he found another source of fear, her lack of Jedi training. ‘You’re afraid of getting things wrong,’ he murmured, ‘of failing. Of not being the Jedi that others need you to be.’   
‘Yes.’ It was same thing that she had confessed to Leia.  
‘You’re confused about where you fit in.’ He almost smiled. They were far more similar than he had realised. ‘You’ve found.. friends… belonging… but you’re not sure. You don’t want to let them down.’  
More tears fell. ‘I’m not the person they think I am.’  
‘Why? Who are you?’  
‘I don’t know anymore,’ said Rey miserably. ‘I feel so angry. So lost.’ More quietly she added, ‘Except for when…except…’ She couldn’t say it.  
‘Except what?’  
She raised her eyes to look at him, feeling disgusted with herself. ‘Except for when I’m with you.’  
Now he was getting closer to how she felt about him and he trembled. ‘You’re struggling with our connection,’ he said, trying to keep his own feelings in check, ‘you want to hate me but…’   
‘I can’t,’ she finished for him. His fingers still lingered on her forehead and she shivered despite herself, feeling she was sharing too much but needing to share it. Having no one else to confide in.  
‘So much conflict.’ He removed his hand, having seen what he needed to.  
Wiping her eyes, Rey asked plaintively, ’What can I do?’  
‘You’re asking the wrong person,’ he admitted, seeing the same issues that he had been struggling with for most of his life. Confusion over where he belonged, of not having a clear purpose or being who he should be, whatever that was. ‘The Jedi say we must let go of our fears. The Sith say we must draw on them to become strong. Whatever we choose to do, these are the things that the darkness latches onto.’  
‘How… how did you fall?’ It was not the answer she expected, and she was almost too afraid to ask, but she needed to know how the darkness had claimed him. ‘Will you show me?’  
For an answer, he held out his hands. Hesitantly, she put her hands into his, wondering what would happen. There was the same rush of emotions as before but this time they were both prepared for it. When the tumult had calmed down, he encouraged her to place her hands on his forehead. Closing her eyes, she felt the warm softness of his skin as soon as her fingers made contact. For some reason she had expected his skin to be rough and harsh, but it wasn’t.  
’Reach out.’ This time, Ben didn’t even flinch.  
Relaxing, she realised with a gasp that she was inside his mind. So many images, ideas, thoughts and feelings washed over her that she felt dizzy. Then she heard Ben say softly, ’Follow one idea. Take hold of it, make it real.’  
It took some getting used to but with his patient guidance, she was able to sift through his memories, to see the boy he had been before the darkness had taken hold. There was Ben, a mischievous six-year old with dark, messy waves of hair and curious eyes, laughing and giggling as he ran through woods, his father chasing after him. She saw him sitting in the Falcon, intuitively pressing switches and buttons whilst Han looked on, pretending to be cross but secretly proud. An even younger Ben, being paraded around on Chewbacca’s shoulders, holding on tight to the Wookie’s fur and shouting at the top of his voice that he was going to be a pilot like his father. She heard the voice in his head, how it soothed and comforted him, telling him that one day he would be powerful beyond his imagination. Then the memories became darker. She saw him sitting on the floor crying, things broken all around him, not understanding what had happened, unable to explain it to his worried parents. She felt the growing fears and confusion as he got older, as his powers were manifest in uncontrolled bursts of energy, breaking and shattering everything in its path. There was Leia, holding him close, telling him that it would be okay, that she loved him whatever happened. She saw Ben, all too aware of what was happening to him, lying in bed, wide awake, listening to his parents arguing, hearing the word Vader and not knowing what it meant. The voice telling him that his parents were afraid of him, that they don’t know what to do, that only they, the voice, understood him. There was Leia, again, trying to explain that he needed to go away, that his powers were getting too strong to be left untrained. That his Uncle Luke could help him. In response she felt his anger and confusion, they are trying to get rid of you, the voice told him, they don’t love you. She saw him arriving at Luke’s training temple, confused and distraught, not wanting his parents to leave.   
It was becoming too much, and for a moment she paused to gather herself together. Ben was struggling too, the memories that she was dredging up reminding him of the past that he had unsuccessfully tried to carve out of himself.  
‘Should I keep going?’ Rey could sense his distress.  
‘If you want to know why, then yes.’  
Breathing deeply, she returned to his memories; feeling the weight of being Ben Solo, of having that famous legacy hanging over him. Everyone - including the voice - telling him what he could be, or should be. The loneliness and emptiness inside, feeling that no-one understood him, except for Luke, the voice, and his friend, fellow student Tai, who was kind and thoughtful. Finding out, along with the entire galaxy, that his mother’s real father was Darth Vader, the powerful Sith Lord, hated and feared in equal measure. Knowing, then, that he was descended from darkness as well as from light.  
Then she saw the night that changed everything. Luke appearing in his room, his hand on his lightsaber. Ben’s real fear, the voice screaming in his head that Luke wanted to kill him. His horror at seeing the Jedi Temple explode in a burst of lightning, thinking that he had murdered Luke and all of the students inside. Knowing that he had become the monster his parents had feared he would be. She saw the fateful decision to go to Snoke, his mentor reassuring him that he could help him find his true self, if only he would follow a different path. She saw the Knights of Ren, led by a strange dark warrior that killed Tai, leading to an explosion of anger and pain from Ben as he gave into the darkness inside him, murdering the last of Luke’s students in cold blood. Vowing to extinguish all trace of the light. Becoming Snoke’s apprentice, only to be subjected to violent abuse and impossible demands. The immense pressure to kill his family, the only thing Snoke told him was holding him back from fully surrendering to the dark.  
Unable to take any more, Rey pulled her hands away, tears streaming down her face. The sadness, self-loathing and hatred that lurked in the depths of Ben’s mind made her acutely aware of the heavy burden that he carried around with him from years of being steeped in the darkness. It had made him do terrible things. It frightened her that she might be headed that way too.  
‘You see?’  
‘That voice, it manipulated you. For years.’ Wiping away her tears, she could see that he was crying too. But in an odd way, seeing inside his head had made her feel more certain than ever that they were meant to be connected. Snoke had said that light had risen to meet Ben’s growing darkness, and her birth seemed to coincide with the period in Ben’s life when the voice in his head had become more insistent. When his powers had started to spiral out of control. Although Rey had not been aware of her strong connection to the Force as a child, it went some way to explaining how those powers had been unlocked through her initial struggle with Ben on Starkiller base.  
‘It did, but I also made a choice,’ he managed, finding that her presence helped him, even soothed the raging feelings inside. ‘I chose to give into it when I killed Voe. I chose to stay in it when I killed Snoke.’  
‘But you’ve always fought it,’ whispered Rey, her emotions churning about inside her. The faint traces of light she had seen in him before were still there, battered by immense waves of darkness, but still there nonetheless. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to tell him that it would be okay. But something held her back.  
He sighed. ’Once the darkness has you in its grasp, it won’t let go easily.’  
Rey’s lip trembled. She realised that he was warning her not to give in. To prevent the darkness from claiming her in the first place. Otherwise it would be too late. ‘Has anyone ever come back?’  
‘Vader.’  
‘How?’  
‘Love,’ he said simply. His eyes locked into Rey’s, and he realised with a start that the Oracle had been right.  
‘Love?’ she whispered. Her heart beat faster. Underneath all the hurt and despair in Ben’s mind, she could sense that there was a glimmer of.… of what? Finally overcoming her doubts, she reached out her hand to him, wanting to offer him some comfort, however small. He was about to place his hand in hers when something distracted him in his quarters and he vanished, leaving Rey alone.


	12. Hux gets annoyed with Kylo Ren (again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux tries to get Kylo Ren to focus on their strategy but the Supreme Leader is too distracted by Rey - and by the Knights of Ren.

It was Hux who had distracted Kylo from his discussion with Rey, lighting up the small comlink by his bed with an apparently urgent message. When he had wiped his eyes and made sure that he was calm, he answered the call with his customary annoyance. ‘Yes?’  
‘Supreme Leader,’ said Hux’s voice crisply, trying to hide his exhaustion under cool efficiency. ‘There’s been a development.’  
‘I’m on my way.’ Sighing, Kylo got up from the bed and went over to one of the panels, opening it up to reveal his wardrobe. Inside there were various items of clothing to choose from, all of them black and all of them in his favoured style, mimicking the Knights of Ren. It was as far from the First Order aesthetic as possible. Pulling on a thin tunic, he put on his trousers and a thicker overcoat, pulling his belt tight around his waist as if it could contain the disorderly feelings inside of him. The feelings that were threatening to spill out again. With his gloves on, he was ready, his true self hidden away under the layers of clothing. Throwing on his cloak, he swept out of the chamber, heading for the central command area.  
As he walked through the corridor, his mind dwelt on Rey. She had been so focused on her fear of the dark side that she had misunderstood his initial statement to her. He meant that she knew about their connection as a dyad in the Force, and it remained a mystery as to how she had found out about it. Yet her fears were real and it worried him how far the darkness had penetrated into her mind. Now that he knew he loved her - and loved her deeply, as she was, beautiful and pure - he wouldn’t let it claim her, as it had him. She was too precious for that to happen. He knew he would do everything in his power to stop her falling to the dark side. Even if it meant giving up his own life.  
‘May I have a moment of your time, Supreme Leader?’  
The voice of Officer Kandia intruded into his thoughts, and he glanced at her, irritated. ‘Yes?’  
Doing her best to keep up with his long strides, Kandia jogged alongside beside him. ‘Some urgent information has come to our attention, Supreme Leader.’  
It was always urgent. ‘What’s that?’  
‘We finished sifting through the information from the informant, Sir,’ continued the Officer, undaunted by Kylo’s dismissive tone. Their training had included some tips about how to persevere with the saturnine warrior. ‘It suggests that the Resistance are hiding out in the Cademimu system, possibly on one of the moons orbiting the planet Ajara.’  
‘Investigate further,’ agreed Kylo, remembering the name from somewhere. He sifted through his memories until he had it. ‘The Rebel Alliance had some connection with that system in the early days of the Empire. Find out what it was and pursue it.’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader.’ Tapping the information in a data-pad, Officer Kandia slowed down, leaving Kylo Ren to march relentlessly onwards towards his destination. She watched him for a moment, wondering if anyone had ever got past the wall of intimidation and rage that seemed to consume him day and night. It was not polite to speculate, but many of the officers, including Kandia, amused themselves in the long evenings by wondering if there was more to Kylo Ren than his forbidding outward appearance would suggest. Did he ever smile? What made him laugh? What would he really like to say to General Hux? Smiling to herself, she turned round and scuttled back towards the Intelligence Division’s offices.

Reaching the the command centre, Kylo Ren walked into find General Hux and Admiral Griss waiting for him on the bridge. His heart sank, knowing that his conversation with Rey had been disrupted for something trivial.   
‘Supreme Leader,’ said Hux, a slight smile playing around his lips. ‘We have proof that the ship that destroyed eight of our fighters near the Sinta Glacier does indeed belong to the Resistance. We have reason to believe that the informer we seek is based in the mining colony there.’  
‘Excellent,’ said Kylo, his face impassive, ‘we need to stop this spy getting any more information to the Resistance. Send out a squadron to question all of the workers there.’  
‘Thank you. Permission to…’  
Before Hux could finish, the doors to the command centre opened again and the Knights of Ren marched in, Kylo Ren immediately turning to meet with them. Annoyed at the interruption, Hux tried not to look as they left a trail of dirt and mud on the otherwise pristine floors. He really would have to speak to Kylo again about their inability to abide by First Order protocol.  
Looking incongruous against the tidy, smooth running orderliness of the First Order officers and technicians, Vikrul came to a halt in front of his master. ‘We have found a translator, my Lord.’  
‘Where?’  
‘Sir, if you could just concentrate on what we were discussing,’ complained Hux, seeing that Kylo’s attention was diverted.  
‘In Kijimi City,’ growled Ushar, glaring at Hux through his mask. ‘A scholar named Babu Frik, specialist, according to our sources, in ancient Jedi and Sith lore.’  
Kylo nodded, ignoring Hux, who was getting more and more cross at the interruption. ‘Get the ship ready. I’ll meet you in the hangar bay.’  
As the Knights marched nosily out, Hux glared angrily at his leader. ‘With respect, Ren, we really need to get on top of the situation with the informer. There is evidence that encrypted data packets have been passing through this network, ultimately leading to the Resistance…’  
‘Yes, yes,’ Kylo waved his hand dismissively in Hux’s direction, ‘I said send a squadron. Use as many resources as you need. I leave this in your hands, General Hux.’ He was more interested in getting to Kijimi. Already under First Order occupation, the planet was infamous for its association with criminals, pirates, smugglers and the more persistently lawless denizens of the galaxy. As such, it had been one of Kylo’s early experiments in exploring if, and how, the power that criminals seemed to wield upon such systems could be reduced. So far, the experiment had resulted in continual rebellion and unrest, upsetting the already fragile cooperation between Kijimi’s citizens and the powerful syndicates. It was also a perpetual sore point between Kylo and Hux, mostly because the latter believed it would be simpler to raze the planet to dust with a display of military might. Kylo knew it was a long game he was playing, trying to win Hux around to his point of view was not.  
‘Thank you, Supreme Leader, but are you sure that’s wise considering its current situation?’ Hux knew that there was little point sharing his ideas with their leader; as usual he seemed distracted about something. He would have to share them with Admiral Griss instead, which was not something that Hux enjoyed doing. The fool admired Kylo Ren for some reason and was actually pleased with the new direction that the First Order was taking.  
‘Hmm?’ Kylo forced himself to listen to the voice whining in his ear. ‘You make a good point, General, be on standby to come to Kijimi in case I need reinforcements.’  
That was not what Hux meant and he stammered, ‘Of course, Supreme Leader.’  
‘I will travel with the Knights, bring the Steadfast on my command.’  
As Kylo swept out, leaving a fuming Hux in his wake, he found himself almost feeling sorry for the hapless General, not something he had ever experienced before. Snoke had told him that Hux had been subject to a brutal and unloved existence, hated by his father and kicked around by almost everyone else who served the remnants of the Empire. However, Hux’s experiences had made him as brutal and oppressive as his tormentors. In many ways, he was as much a victim of the First Order as the kidnapped children were; he had never been given the opportunity to know, or be, anything outside of it. It was little wonder that Hux was its product and a fanatical supporter of its ideology. The man was arrogant, obsessed with protocol and method, unwavering in his belief that technology and military might would crush any resistance to the First Order, and that expansion was not only inevitable but desired. There was no creativity in his soul unless it was finding new ways to dominate and control. For Kylo, however, Hux’s behaviour was less important than the ideology that had shaped him in this way. How had Snoke come to believe that answering everything with military might, and reckless exploitation, was the new order? He had to get to Exegol to find out.  
As he walked towards the hangar, his head suddenly started to throb and his vision blurred. Wondering if it was a headache developing, Kylo shook his head to clear it but he was overcome by a terrible feeling of dread, his surroundings vanishing without warning.

He was in a place of ghosts, strong in the dark side. Looking for something. He could hear the sound of the ocean far away, taste the salt in the air, and feel the wind gusting around him as he moved instinctively through ruined corridors. The remains of empire were everywhere, rotting away.   
‘See your inheritance!’  
As the voice faded away, he found himself in a circular room, where the threat of evil still hung as if its spirit was trapped there. He could feel a disturbance in the Force, a young man crying out, Father, please! Leading downwards was a set of stairs. Following them down, he saw a glimpse of gold cloth in the darkness. Then, Snoke was stood in front of him, his pale eyes staring coldly into his, penetrating to his very soul; You’re just a child in a mask, he hissed, raising his hand up high as if to strike him…

Kylo woke up with a start, clutching at the wall for support as he reeled from the images he had seen. Where had he been? What had he been looking for?  
A voice whispered in his ear, Exegol.  
‘Supreme Leader?’  
This was a new voice, normal and clear, if timid. Gathering himself together, Kylo looked behind him to see two young officers staring. Wondering why, no doubt, he had collapsed against the wall.  
‘Are you okay, Supreme Leader?’ The male officer tried again, ‘Can we help you to the medical bay?’  
They felt concern for him. How touching. ‘I’m fine,’ said Kylo dismissively, and, without even a thank you, he continued on his way.


	13. Finn and Rey’s friendship is tested

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jannah, Rose and Finn decide to steal some First Order ships from Kuat so that they can infiltrate Naboo, which has been under First Order blockade for months. There are rumours of more deserters. Going to find Rey, Finn is disturbed by who he sees her talking to...

‘Have you seen this?’ Jannah was looking through one of the data packets that had come in from Threepio’s droid network.   
The command centre was a hive of activity, key operatives, including Connix, keeping a clear eye on information coming in from across the galaxy. Amongst them, Jannah was sat at a computer, Finn on one side of her, Rose on the other side of Finn, all of them poring over reams of recent intelligence, looking for anything that might help them with their strategy.  
‘What’s that?’ Finn leaned back in his chair, running his hand through his hair. He was growing it out, eschewing the short crop he had been forced into by the First Order and experimenting with a new style.  
‘There’s rumours of deserters on Naboo. Stormtroopers. A whole squadron.’  
‘Really?’  
‘What does it say?’ asked Rose, tearing her eyes away from the computer screen in front of her.  
‘That’s all it says,’ said Jannah, feeling disappointed. ‘A squadron of stormtroopers have gone rogue on Naboo.’  
‘It’s not much to go on,’ commented Rose.  
‘No, but we should try and make contact.’  
‘But how?’ asked Finn, thinking of the practicalities of the idea. ‘The planet’s been blockaded for months. No one can get in or out without a damn good reason.’  
‘This might be a crazy idea,’ said Jannah hesitantly, ‘but what if we stole a First Order ship? Used that get us through? Surely they’re letting First Order traffic come and go without too many questions.’  
‘That’s not a bad idea,’ agreed Rose, her mind lighting up with possibilities. ‘But where would we get a ship from? They don’t just leave them lying around, waiting for us to take them.’  
Jannah grinned, ‘If only they did! Would save us a lot of trouble.’  
‘Where’s the challenge in that?’ smiled Finn, thinking. He was sure that he had talked about something similar the other day with Poe. Then he remembered, ‘Poe’s got that contact on Kuat, remember? The woman in the testing department.’  
‘What? Priss?’ Rose remembered too, ‘She owes him a favour doesn’t she?’  
Jannah looked baffled, ‘What testing department?’  
‘Priss has something to do with testing prototype ships at one of the shipyards,’ Finn explained, ‘She’s always looking for pilots to fly the new ships, and Poe helped her out with it a couple of times. Not that he did the testing, I think he found someone that could help.’  
‘Whatever the reason, the contact is there,’ said Rose, trying not to yawn. The weather had turned humid and it had been difficult to sleep. For some reason, the technicians were struggling to regulate the temperature across the base. ‘I wonder if she could help us get a couple of ships?’  
‘It’s a lot to ask,’ mused Jannah. ‘What could she give us?’  
‘Probably one of the prototypes that don’t always go into production,’ said Finn. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it was a good idea. ‘I’m sure they’ve got some weird and wonderful ships going spare.’  
‘It’s worth a try, anyway,’ said Rose, looking over to where Poe was deep in conversation with Connix and D’Arcy. ‘Let’s run it past Poe when he’s got a moment.’  
Jannah put her data-pad down, her thirst finally getting the better of her. ‘I’m dying for a drink. Anyone else?’  
‘Caf for me,’ said Finn, adding a thumbs-up.  
‘I’ll have a tea, thanks,’ said Rose, ‘do you need any help?’  
‘No, no, I’ll be fine,’ Jannah assured her, getting up, ‘I won’t be long.’  
Rose watched as Jannah left the command centre, turning back to Finn only to find that he was staring off into space, looking as if he had gone into a trance. It was very similar to how Rey often behaved and she wondered if he was having a Jedi moment. ‘Finn?’  
‘Er, sorry,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I was just remembering something. A dream I had last night.’  
‘Want to share it?’  
‘Yeah. All I remember is that me and Poe were standing outside some old building. We were celebrating something, I don’t know what, but we were both really happy. Poe had a bandage on his arm but he was smiling. It was… it was lovely.’  
Rose heard something new in his voice. ‘You like Poe, don’t you?’  
‘Yes.’ He couldn’t help feeling embarrassed, wondering how much he could admit to her.  
‘Just… friends?’ Rose knew that she was pushing things, but she had seen a few moments which had convinced her that there was an attraction of sorts between the two of them. Not enough for either of them to act on it, but it was there all the same.  
Finn shook his head. Hesitantly he said, ’More than that.’  
‘Okay.’ It had taken Rose a long time, but she had eventually got over her disappointment that her relationship with Finn had not turned into something more romantic. She had always wondered why - Finn hadn’t exactly explained himself well - but if it was because he was attracted to someone else, like Poe, it made it easier to understand. ‘Are you…?’  
‘Rose, I…’ Finn started to explain but then he saw that Poe was coming over, and he raised his eyebrows and gestured to Rose out of the corner of his eye instead. At first she didn’t understand but when Poe suddenly appeared, it all made sense.  
‘Have either of you seen Rey?’ In a hurry, Poe dispensed with his usual niceties, he was on his way to another meeting and didn’t have much time.  
‘She went out training this morning,’ said Finn helpfully, ‘she’s not back yet?  
‘I don’t know,’ said Poe, ‘but I haven’t got time to find out. If you see her, can you let her know that I’ve heard back from Zorri.’  
‘Will do.’   
‘Thanks. I’ll be back in a bit.’ Poe hurried out the command centre, just as Jannah returned with the drinks, and she moved out of his way to let him pass.  
As Jannah came over, Finn watched Poe disappearing into the depths of the base, feeling odd. He hadn’t told anyone about his feelings for Poe, and he wasn’t sure why he had confessed it to Rose.  
‘He’s in a hurry,’ commented Jannah, meaning Poe, handing out the drinks. ‘I think we should just contact this Priss ourselves, otherwise we’ll be waiting ages for him.’  
‘Good idea,’ agreed Rose, knowing that she was going to have to ask Finn about Poe at a later date and filing it away in her memory. ‘I think Threepio’s got the details.’  
‘Whilst you do that, I’ll go and look for Rey,’ said Finn, to which Rose and Jannah readily agreed.  
After drinking his caf, Finn left the command centre to see if he could find the missing Jedi. Going to the main hangar, he asked the technicians if they’d seen her come back in.  
‘Yeah, she came in about an hour ago,’ said one of them helpfully.  
‘Thanks.’ Finn headed over to Rey’s quarters but she wasn’t there. He tried a couple of the relaxation areas but there was no sign of her. Remembering what Rey had taught him, he relaxed into the Force, seeking her out using the webs of energy that united all things. It wasn’t as easy as he thought - opening himself up to the Force, he was suddenly assaulted by a range of emotions and sensations, not all of them helpful. But eventually he grasped something faint, something that reminded him of Rey.  
Humming to himself, Finn walked through the Resistance base, heading towards the room that Rey and he had been using for snatched moments of training and meditation. It was tucked away in the furthest corner of the building, as far away as possible from all the hustle and bustle of the command centre. Here, very few people came and there had been little attempt to stop the jungle from intruding into the crumbling corridors. Twisted branches, sprouting with leaves and colourful flowers, covered the walls, making a concerted attempt at reclaiming it for nature. Finn hoped that the news about Zorri would bring a smile back to Rey’s face. She had been struggling lately with everything that she had to do, and he sensed it keenly. Her mood was very different to that of the optimistic, naive scavenger he had first met.  
Seeing the door to the room was ajar, he knocked gently and poked his head in. ‘Rey?’  
But what he saw made his head reel.  
In the middle of the room, Rey was stood with Kylo Ren. They were deep in conversation, their hands touching, staring into each others’ eyes. Emotions were swirling around them in the Force, so strong that Finn could feel them as if they were his own. A heady mixture of confusion, conflict, concern, and mingled with that, strong feelings of desire that made Finn giddy. But then he recovered.  
‘What the…?’ He ran into the room, ’Rey!’  
Startled, Rey turned towards Finn. Fear passed across her face, knowing what he had seen. Wondering how he had seen it.  
Tearing his eyes reluctantly away from Rey, Kylo Ren looked over at Finn, his face registering surprise. Letting go of Rey’s hand, he vanished.  
‘What… was that?’ Rooted to the floor, Finn was shaken. How had Rey made contact with Ren? Why she would want to?

Rey hadn't exactly wanted to make contact with Ben that afternoon. It had happened, as it always did, when she was alone. When she had just returned from a training session and had been trying to reach a calm and peaceful state through meditation. Into this, Ben’s turbulent and bulky form had intruded; he was dressed in his travelling cloak, clearly on his way to somewhere. The interruption seemed as unwelcome to him as it was to Rey, and their antipathy towards each other had been jarring after the intimacy of their experience the previous evening. But as they talked, their indifference to each other started to thaw.  
‘You know about the dyad,’ he said, wanting to clear something up that had been puzzling him. Other thoughts and feelings assaulted his mind as he looked at her, sat cross-legged on the floor. Clues to her state of mind. ’How?’  
‘An old woman told me.’ Rey got to her feet, not liking the sensation of Ben towering over her.  
‘What old woman?’ He sounded dismissive but he instantly softened as her bright energy surrounded him. Everything else in the grim starship quarters faded away, leaving only her lovely face, so open and trusting, in front of him.  
‘She was strong in the Force,’ said Rey defensively, hearing the scorn in his voice. Her legs ached from training, and she wanted to unwind. But Ben’s presence prevented her.  
He struggled to make sense of what she was saying. It seemed incongruous that such an important piece of the puzzle would be delivered to her in this way. ‘Where was this?’  
‘Jakku.’   
‘So you met an old woman on Jakku and she told you we were a dyad in the Force?’ Ben almost laughed, it seemed so absurd.  
‘It wasn’t as random as it sounds,’ insisted Rey. She was surprised to see real mirth in his eyes, a change from his usual derision. ‘She looks after the graves where my parents are buried. The Force led me to her.’  
‘I see.’ He wondered what she would think about the hideous creature that had told him about the prophecy, but as soon as the image came into his mind, he saw a flash of recognition cross her face.  
‘I saw it,’ she said, inching closer. ‘What was it?’  
‘I have no idea. It called itself the Oracle.’ Despite poring over his books, he had found no reference to the creature. It was almost as if it did not exist, as if he had dreamt it. ‘But it seems to have told me the same thing as this old woman of yours.’  
‘That the Force connected us? To heal the galaxy.’  
He nodded. ‘A connection stronger than life itself.’  
‘And you believe it?’  
‘Why wouldn’t I?’   
She wondered if he really didn’t know what she meant or, most likely, he wanted her to explain what she meant. It was very like Ben to do that. ‘You’ve had the Skywalker legacy hanging over you ever since you were born. Why would you want something else to determine your destiny?’  
‘Because of what it showed me.’ He was close enough to see the shifting colours in her eyes, the mossy greens and deep browns reminding him of the favourite haunts of his youth, the forests of Chandrila.  
‘What did you see?’ As he gazed at her, Rey found herself captivated by the story his eyes told; he had seen something so profound, so moving, that it had changed completely the way he thought the future might go. Without thinking, she reached her hand out to him, eager to share it.  
Understanding her intentions, Ben slowly took his glove from his hand, peeling off the leather that protected him from contact with others. He wanted her to see his vision too, but more than that, he wanted contact with her.  
Their hands had just touched when Finn came in, shattering the hold they had over each other. 

‘It’s not want you think,’ said Rey quickly, wondering how she could diffuse the situation. She could sense Finn’s feelings of betrayal, his confusion. Coming over to him, she tried to explain, ‘Ben and I… we’re a dyad, connected through the Force.’  
‘Ben?’ So that was what she was calling him now, conveniently forgetting the evil persona that he had adopted. Even though he had listened to what Lando had to say, he still could not bring himself to believe that Kylo Ren - the man who had callously thrown Rey against a tree, sliced him up with a lightsaber, tortured his friend Poe and no doubt hurt and murdered millions of others - had been entirely manipulated by Snoke. He could sense no heart, no compassion in that man. Only evil.  
‘That’s his name.’ The more she tried to explain things to Finn, the more her words got stuck in her head. It was her instinct to ignore what had happened, to run away from its implications. But she could see that Finn needed answers, that she would have to help him to understand what he had seen.   
‘What did you say you were?’  
‘A dyad,’ she tried again, ‘two that are one, connected by the Force.’  
‘But… Kylo Ren?’  
‘I know, I know.’ She knew this would be hardest information for Finn to take. The idea of a dyad in the Force was strange enough, but it was who she was connected to that would be the biggest test of their friendship. She would also have to explain why she had not told any of her friends about it for over a year.  
‘But you’re in the light and he’s in the darkness.’ His experience of Ren was one of violence and an intense desire for power. ‘Darkness that he chose to follow.’  
‘It’s not that simple,’ Rey said, struggling to know how to explain it to him. ‘Yes, he chose the dark side but he was manipulated by Snoke. For years.’  
Finn digested this information for a moment. ‘Right, so the Force has connected you together, even though you’re on opposite sides?’  
‘Yes,’ Rey thought he was getting it. ‘Powerful light and powerful darkness. Together we will bring balance.’  
‘And you can speak to each other?’  
‘Yes. And… and its like we’re in the same space. Even though we’re not.’  
‘But how? How can the Force do this?’  
‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘But it’s doing it for a reason.’  
‘What reason?’ Finn was beginning to feel out of his depth.  
‘That we will bring balance to the Force. But first we have to become our true selves.’   
Her words made little sense to him, and Finn felt weary all of a sudden. ‘You’re not your true self?’  
‘I have to face the darkness inside of me,’ explained Rey earnestly, ’and Ben has to come back to the light.’  
‘But he won’t,’ Finn was certain of that.  
‘No, it’s not that. He doesn't think he can.’  
Now that her relationship with Ben was out in the open, Rey knew that she had to tell Finn everything. Encouraging him to sit down with her, she told him about how Snoke had been the voice in his head, taking advantage of his loneliness and deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, exploiting Leia and Han’s uncertainty and fear about his powers. How his turn to the dark side had been precipitated by one, fateful night at Luke’s temple, his eventual decision made in the context of fear and despair. ‘He knows now he made that choice because of a lie.’  
‘Hmm.’ Finn thought about this for a moment. He was only just getting to understand the Force and its mysteries but it seemed far-fetched to think that the Force could determine someone’s destiny in the way that Rey described it. ‘You shouldn’t have to help Ren,’ he said eventually, ‘he doesn’t deserve it.’  
‘I know,’ she said, ‘and if Leia was still here, she might have helped him instead of me. But there’s no one else.’ She looked at him, her eyes shining with the optimism she felt, ‘Look, Finn, I’m not doing this for me. I’m helping Ben for the sake of the galaxy. If he turns back, we can balance the Force. Repair the wounds caused by the hate and violence of this war. I know we can!’  
Feeling torn, Finn regarded her for a moment. He loved Rey and had admired her from the moment he had first met her. He remembered the way she had defended herself from the thugs that tried to kidnap BB8, and how she had leapt into his adventure without thinking, giving her all in every situation they had faced together. Her kindness and willingness to help. She had never shrunk from danger or a challenge. But perhaps that same impulse was why she was drawn to Kylo Ren. He had just heard her say she wasn’t doing this for herself, but he had to ask, ‘Do you care for him?’  
Surprised by his question, Rey couldn’t answer. She wanted to say no, of course not. But she couldn’t.  
‘You do, don’t you.’ Finn couldn’t help feeling disgusted that the feelings of desire he had sensed might be Rey’s as well as Kylo’s. ‘Do you… do you love him?’  
‘I want him to come back. To the light,’ said Rey defensively, wondering why he did not understand. ‘He’s Leia and Han’s son.’  
‘Yeah and he killed Han. We saw it happen,’ Finn pointed out, his frustration with her growing. ‘Whatever he’s called, Kylo Ren. Ben Solo. It doesn’t matter. He’s still the same man who killed his father, tried to kill his uncle and tried to kill me. How can you care for him?’   
When Rey couldn’t answer, he grew angry at her seeming inability to see what she was getting into, and why it would upset him. ‘Fine! It seems that you want to put the feelings of a murderous tyrant before those of your friends!’  
‘Finn…’  
‘Just forget it!’ Getting up, Finn went over to the door, ready to leave. But just as he reached it, he heard Rey crying quietly and his anger began to melt away. He felt embarrassed that he had let his feelings for Kylo Ren get the better of him. Going back over to where she sat, he joined her on the bench and put his arm around her shoulders. ‘I’m sorry, Rey.’  
‘I’m sorry too,’ said Rey, wiping her eyes. ‘I know I should have told you what was happening. But I didn’t really understand it myself.’ Mostly, she had been hoping that Ben would have turned by now, making her secret irrelevant.  
‘How long have you and Ren been connected?’ Finn was almost too afraid to ask.  
’Since I went to Ahch-To.’  
‘That long?’ Finn looked sad. Why hadn’t she trusted him? ‘I feel like I don’t know you anymore, Rey.’  
‘No,’ she said quietly, ‘no one does.’  
‘Why do you say that?’ Finn wondered if he had taken Rey’s friendship for granted. It seemed there was more going on with her than he had realised.  
Taking a deep breath, Rey admitted that she was struggling with the dark side. ‘It’s calling to me. It thinks it knows what I need.’  
‘Why didn’t you say so?’ Suddenly, it made sense to Finn why she had been reaching out to Kylo Ren. As someone immersed in the dark side, he would understand what she was going through. Like no-one else could.   
‘I find it hard to admit it, even to myself,’ she said, sniffling.  
‘But you’ve told Ren?’ When she nodded, he went on, ‘Will he help you?’  
‘He’s trying to.’  
‘Can you trust him?’  
She nodded again, ‘I think so.’  
‘You want to.’ Seeing that she was struggling, he didn’t want to make things worse for her. ‘I wish you’d told me this sooner. But - you know we need to tell Poe, don’t you?’  
‘Why?’ She was not sure she wanted to drag Poe into the mess of her own making.  
‘It’s a massive security risk,’ said Finn, not understanding how she could not see it. ‘If Kylo Ren finds out where we are…’  
‘He won’t,’ said Rey adamantly, ‘he can’t. Not from me. He can’t see where I am, and I can’t see where he is.’  
‘So it’s no good for intel either.’ It gave him another reason why Rey had not told anyone. It was a connection that was personal to her, rather than helpful to the Resistance more generally.  
‘Don’t you think I would have told you, if that was the case?’ said Rey gently. ‘The only useful thing I’ve got from it was getting Ben to agree to hold Leia’s memorial on Naboo.’  
‘That was you?’ Finn was surprised, he thought Kylo Ren had approached the Resistance. ‘Okay, so maybe Kylo Ren isn’t entirely the big bad villain that we all think he is. But he’s still the leader of the First Order. Our enemy. You need to be careful.’  
‘And you need to stop worrying about me so much,’ said Rey, wiping her eyes. ‘Ben had the chance to kill me before and he didn’t. He chose me over Snoke. Now he knows we’re a dyad, he won’t harm me.’  
Finn knew he had to trust Rey in her understanding of Ren’s character, after all she knew him better than he did. Perhaps better than anyone, even Leia. He had always wondered how the son of General Leia and Han Solo had fallen to the dark side and now he considered he was a little closer to understanding why. ‘Good. Because if he does, he’ll have me to answer to.’   
Smiling, Rey embraced him. ‘Thank you, Finn. You're a good friend.’  
‘I know,’ he hugged her back tightly, pleased that she had confided in him, even if it had been forced by circumstances. ‘But I’ll be keeping my eye on you.’ Letting her go, he smiled. ‘Come on. There was a reason I came to get you, Poe has heard back from Zorri.’  
‘Finally,’ said Rey with relief. She was beginning to wonder if she would ever get to Kijimi. Feeling out of sorts, she accompanied Finn to the command centre, thoughts swirling around her head. She felt shame, and guilt, not only for keeping it hidden from her friends for so long, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had betrayed Ben’s confidence too. It had taken her so long to be comfortable around him, he had just started to help her, and now she would be looking over her shoulder all the time, afraid that their relationship would be seen or dissected by others. She had not expected to feel that way, and it confused her. Yet, although he had struggled, Finn had been far more accepting of her relationship with Ben than she had expected when he initially came into the room. How Finn had been able to see Ben as clearly as she did was another mystery that would need to be unravelled, but it suggested that Finn’s strength in the Force was growing, even with the pathetically small amount of training that she had managed to give him. It was a small grain of optimism that she could cling to.

Back in the command centre, Rose and Jannah had finally managed to get hold of Poe. He had agreed with their plan to get hold of a First Order ship, although he had complicated matters by giving them some new information to look over. He was stood next to their computer terminal as they helped him to try and make sense of a data packet that had just come in from Boolio on the Sinta Glacier.   
‘This doesn’t look good,’ said Rose, running another de-encryption programme to try and unlock the message. ‘He’s not being as careful as before. He must have sent this in a rush.’  
‘Perhaps he’s trying to warn us about something,’ frowned Poe, turning round when he heard someone approaching, It was Finn and Rey. ‘You two took your time,’ he frowned as soon as he saw them.  
‘Jedi stuff,’ said Finn quickly, glancing at Rey. He had decided not to tell Poe about Rey’s secret. On reflection there was no reason to. Rey seemed to know what she was dealing with when it came to Kylo Ren, and it seemed he would be more useful for helping her understand the growing darkness inside her rather than as a link to understanding First Order strategy.  
‘Right. Zorri’s got in touch and you’re in luck, she knows a scholar who specialises in ancient Jedi and Sith lore,’ Poe said to Rey, ‘so you can go as soon as you’re ready.’  
‘I’m ready now,’ smiled Rey, pleased to have an excuse to get away, giving her time to put some distance between her and her embarrassment with Finn. ‘Is the Falcon patched up?’  
‘You’re not going in the Falcon,’ said Poe bluntly, much to Rey’s dismay, ‘Kijimi is under First Order occupation and they’ll recognise it a mile off. You need to fly under the radar.’  
‘And how will I do that?’ Rey snapped in disappointment, thinking that he was making things difficult for her.  
‘Finn and Jannah are going to help you steal a ship,’ said Poe brightly, winking at Finn.  
‘We are?’ This was news to Finn, but then he remembered the earlier conversation with Rose and Jannah. ‘So we’re going to Kuat?’  
‘Looks like it,’ agreed Poe, who added for Rey’s benefit. ’We’ve a contact on Kuat who will help you to break into the ship yards there.’  
‘And how long is this going to take?’ frowned Rey, looking helplessly at Finn.  
‘A day at most,’ said Finn, trying to be diplomatic.  
‘It’ll be fine,’ said Poe, dismissing her concerns with a wave of his hand. ‘You can go straight to Kijimi from Kuat. Rose will help you come up with a good story to get through the blockade.’  
‘Boolio’s sent us some more codes,’ explained Rose, pointing to the screen. ‘They should get you into any part of Kijimi City.’  
‘And if it doesn’t work?’ After her experience with Finn, Rey was finding it hard to be optimistic.  
‘You get the hell out of there,’ smiled Poe, patting her on the shoulder. ‘Some of that Jedi training of yours might come in handy.’  
‘Come on,’ said Rose, gesturing for Rey to follow her. It looked like she needed a distraction from whatever troubled her. ‘We need to persuade Chewie and Lando to give us a ride to Kuat on the Falcon.’ She also had some ideas about what they would need to take with them.  
‘Okay.’ Rey was anxious. In her mind there was a lot riding on her trip to Kijimi, to justify the decisions that she had made. Would the objects be as meaningful as she thought they were? Or were they only a distraction?  
As Rey left with Rose, Poe turned back to Finn. ‘Is everything okay?’ He thought his friend seemed subdued, guessing it was something to do with Rey’s rotten mood.  
‘Yeah, got some things on my mind, that’s all.’  
‘Rey?’ probed Poe, gently.  
Finn nodded. ‘She’s not been the same since Leia’s death. I think it’s affected her more than she’s letting on.’  
‘I wouldn’t be surprised,’ agreed Poe, picking up a pile of data pads that he needed to sift through. There was so much intel coming in, he could hardly keep up with it. ‘I’ve noticed she’s not very good at talking about her feelings.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Just keep an eye on her, okay? With all that power of hers, we don’t want her to go rogue. Right, I’ll go and get in touch with Priss, see what we need. Then, when you come back from Kuat, we can work out how we’re gonna make contact with those stormtroopers on Naboo,’ said Poe, hoping that the task would take Finn’s mind away from whatever worries he had about Rey. Fondly, he reached out and clapped his friend on the shoulder. ‘We’ll get through this.’  
Realising he was focusing too much on his problems, Finn managed to muster up some excitement, ‘Yeah - we will.’  
‘I know there’s a lot going on,’ said Poe, more softly, his hand still on Finn’s shoulder. It had not escaped Finn’s notice either, and he stared at Poe for a long moment, sensing a hint of deeper feelings, of feelings that sparked and crackled wildly under his otherwise cool exterior.  
Behind them, Rose and Jannah watched the exchange silently, wondering what it meant.  
But then Poe let go of Finn and the spell was broken. ‘I’ll let you know when I’ve got hold of Priss.’ Leaving Finn with Jannah, he hurried off to find somewhere quiet he could be on his own for a while. To think about what he had just experienced with Finn. He’d always had a soft spot for the younger man, going back to when they had first met, but the realities of leading the Resistance had disrupted their friendship far more than Poe had realised. They hardly spent any time with each other anymore, and he felt that he was missing everything important that was going on with his friend. Finn seemed distant, preoccupied with something and usually they would have time to resolve things. But not any more. Sighing, Poe looked ruefully at the data-pads in his hands. ‘Looks like it’s just you and me, sweetheart.’


	14. Boolio has a bad day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Boolio gets caught up in the machinations of General Hux. Warning, he dies early on in the chapter.

On the Sinta Glacier Colony, Boolio was having a bad day. First, there were the rumours about an impending visit from the First Order, which made him nervous. Second, there had been a significant accident in the mines which had derailed most of their work for the entire month. One of the explosives had gone off without warning, seriously wounding several miners, destroying a section of the mine’s infrastructure, and causing several of the tunnels to cave in. The miners had been rushed off to the medical centre, and as far as he knew they were being taken care of. Now Boolio was having to deal with the aftermath of the disaster; there were working practices to be checked, evidence to be gathered, procedures to be carried out and forms to be filled in. And he hated filing in forms. He wanted to go and visit the miners in the medical centre, see how they were doing, but the administration was taking up all of his time.  
He was just finishing off another of the forms in his office, when he saw dark shadows appear behind the large transparisteel panel in the door. ‘Open up,’ came a stern voice.  
‘What is it?’ he asked impatiently, looking up from his computer terminal.  
It was the last thing he said. The door swung open, revealing several First Order stormtroopers brandishing blasters. They shot him dead before he could even get up.  
Behind them, Boolio’s assistant screamed in horror, ‘You killed him!’  
‘We have evidence that he was passing on sensitive information to the Resistance,’ the Captain of the squadron explained, waving a data-pad in his face as his troops scoured the room. ‘We will need to search this place.’  
The assistant did not, could not, impede them and the stormtroopers swept through the complex, examining Boolio’s computers in his office, opening drawers and turning the place up side down. But the search turned up little of real merit and the Captain was nervous when he contacted his superior.  
‘General Hux,’ the Captain spoke to the senior officer on his comlink. ‘We’ve searched the whole place, Sir.’  
‘And?’  
‘Nothing Sir, that links him directly to the Resistance or to the First Order. But we found a data transfer hose and several data packets that may contain important information.’  
‘How disappointing,’ complained Hux. ‘And the suspect is dead?’  
‘As you ordered, Sir.’  
‘Bring back everything you can find that looks suspicious. We will examine it here.’  
Back on the Steadfast, Hux turned the comlink off. He went over to where Admiral Griss was examining data readouts on one of the computer screens.  
‘How did it go?’ he asked Hux as the younger man approached him, ‘did they find anything?’  
‘It doesn’t seem so. The spy refused to tell them anything,’ said Hux, feigning disappointment, ‘and they were forced to execute him.’  
‘That’s a shame,’ said Griss, who had not heard the transaction between Hux and the Captain. ‘It would have been better if they had thought to bring him back here for questioning. Perhaps we need to come up with a new protocol in case it happens again?’  
‘They did find a large quantity of data packets,’ went on Hux, ignoring Griss’ question. ‘Hopefully we will find something incriminating in those.’  
‘General, message incoming from the Supreme Leader,’ said one of the junior officers seated at a computer console.  
‘Accept it,’ ordered Hux, wondering what the devil Kylo Ren wanted now.  
A large hologram of their leader appeared on the bridge, it was Kylo Ren wearing his usual taciturn expression. ‘Hux, Griss. The unrest on Kijimi is worsening, as we anticipated. Bring yourselves and the Steadfast to the system immediately.’  
Clearly Ren’s strategy in Kijimi was not working, much to Hux’s delight. ‘Of course, Supreme Leader.’ He could not help noticing how the hologram seemed to augment the already considerable size of the Supreme Leader’s nose.  
‘I’ll meet you in sector BV-167.’ The hologram vanished.  
‘I’ll go and oversee the troops.’ Admiral Griss made his excuses and left the bridge, pleased to have a diversion away from the machinations of General Hux. It was well known amongst the High Command that Hux coveted the title of Supreme Leader. How he planned on taking the title from the far more powerful Kylo Ren was a subject of endless speculation amongst the other officers, and they had even placed several bets on the outcome.  
‘Indeed.’ Hux watched him leave, a cryptic expression on his face. Turning, he went over to the computer and punched in a new code. ‘Quinn.’  
‘General Hux?’ The voice sounded tinny over the speakers.  
‘Ren wants me down on Kijimi,’ said Hux, speaking quietly. ‘Have you got that information I requested yet?’  
‘Not yet. But I’m working on it.’  
‘Very well. Keep on with it.’ Clicking the comlink off, Hux left the bridge to catch up with Admiral Griss.


	15. Rey, Finn and Jannah steal a ship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lando and Chewbacca take Finn, Rose, Jannah and Rey to Kuat so that they can steal some First Order ships from the shipyards. They are going to meet one of Poe's contacts called Priss. On the journey, Finn and Rey talk about the implications of her connection with Kylo Ren and she decides to stop asking him for help. After a harrowing experience getting through the shipyard's security, they meet Priss but meet trouble in the form of one of her co-workers. This chapter involves a shoot-out and several minor characters die.

The Falcon sped through hyperspace, heading for Kuat. Whilst Chewie checked the ship over, uncertain about some the repairs that had been made, Finn and Jannah were sat with Lando, hearing about his exploits in the years after the Battle of Jakku, and his search for his daughter. Being with Lando and Jannah had brightened Finn’s mood considerably. He had tried to talk to Rey earlier but she had been subdued, retreating further into herself, and he had given up. He had to admit that he was beginning to feel much more comfortable with Jannah, who was relaxed and unfailingly optimistic, just how Rey used to be. They also had much more in common, sharing a past and a desire to make things better for the future. He felt bad, almost as if he was rejecting Rey, but he had come to realise that if he hadn’t barged in on Rey and Kylo Ren together, she would not have told him about it. For some reason, she wanted to keep her connection to Ren a secret and Finn couldn’t understand why. Whatever she said, it felt like she had chosen Kylo Ren over him, and her Resistance friends. Until he had come to terms with the changes he saw in Rey, he thought it was better if he kept his distance.  
Rey, meanwhile, sat alone in the cramped and dirty crew quarters, taking the opportunity to meditate, her mind still in turmoil from her conversations with Ben, and with Finn. Much to her dismay, her feelings for Ben consumed her the most. Finn had been right to be repulsed by her non-confession, the fact that she cared for him. Yet, if she was honest it had always been there. Going back as far as Ahch-To, she had seen the broken, lonely man that lurked behind the cold, austere persona of Kylo Ren, and that had stirred her compassion for him, culminating in her disastrous attempt to turn him back to the light. And here she was now, no closer to achieving her aim, but still half convinced that if only she could break through Snoke’s conditioning, she could help him to turn back. What was wrong with her?  
But she knew what it was. Deep down. She didn’t want to feel alone, she didn’t want to be the only one struggling with her destiny. There was Ben having gone through - in many ways, still going through - the same experiences that challenged her now. She knew what he had done, she was reminded of it on a daily basis. But as long as he was there she would be drawn to him, needing him. It was wrong, horribly wrong, and she hated herself for it, but the thought of being the last Jedi scared her even more.  
Closing her eyes, she connected with the Force quickly. Reaching deep into its intricate webs, she tried to calm the tension in her head, to be present in the moment. But the Force itself was not calm. It was wracked with pain, buffeting her with random, chaotic bursts of energy. Her mind went back to what Ben had said on Naboo. About the disturbance. It was more obvious than ever.  
What good is compassion? The quiet voice came unbidden into her head as she sat on the bed, eyes closed, trying to understand what was affecting the Force. You’ve given all you can and still he will not turn.  
Flinching, Rey opened her eyes, looking around her. As she might have expected, there was no-one there. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes again, the connection returning instantaneously. Who are you?  
It’s not your fight, the voice said. It was a female voice, soft and persuasive, but not one that she recognised. Immediately she tensed, remembering Ben telling her about how the dark side would try to seduce her, telling her what she wanted to hear. But this seemed different; the voice was actually telling her the opposite that she wanted to be true.   
He had his chance and he chose to stay in the dark.  
It was also the same as Ben had said. That he had chosen to stay in the dark despite several opportunities to come back. Perhaps the voice had a point, perhaps the only way forward was to let go of her desire to find a kindred spirit in Ben.  
Why would the Force connect you with your enemy? the voice went on, The prophecy is a lie. Ben’s words are a lie. He doesn’t care for you, he can’t.   
The door opened, shattering her concentration. ‘Rey?’  
It was Finn, coming to check up on her. Opening her eyes, Rey attempted a smile. ‘Hey.’  
‘How’s it going?’ he said, coming into the room. The crew quarters on the Falcon were long past their best; there was a bed with grey sheets, metal storage lockers and a rack that carried a variety of different weapons. To him, Rey looked incongruous amongst it, a bright source of energy that only heightened its dullness.   
‘I was trying to meditate.’ Getting up, she came over to him. She knew that he was avoiding her because of what had happened with Ben and she felt miserable. ‘Finn, I’m sorry.’  
‘What for?’  
‘For not telling you about my connection with Ben,’ she said, ‘and for… for thinking about myself first. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to think bad of me.’  
‘Why would I have thought bad of you?’ asked Finn, genuinely puzzled. ‘It’s not your fault you’re connected to Kylo Ren. It’s the Force.’  
‘I know… but I could have tried harder to ignore it.’ She looked away.  
‘You had good intentions,’ said Finn gently, ‘you wanted to help him turn back to the light.’  
‘But you’re right. It’s not my place to do that.’ The voice had come at the right time, almost giving her the permission she needed to let Ben go.  
‘It’s up to him,’ agreed Finn, pleased that she had come to a sensible resolution. ‘And him alone. You can’t make someone change.’ Especially when they don’t want to, he added silently.  
‘I know.’ She had come to terms with it, but she would still struggle. Ben’s connection to her was too strong to completely ignore, but she would not actively seek him out anymore.  
Sensing her sadness and confusion, Finn held out his hand. ‘Lando wondered if you wanted something to eat? It won’t be long until we’re at Kuat.’  
‘Yeah, that would be good.’ Feeling as if a weight had lifted, Rey followed Finn out of the room and into the main hold. Chewie, Lando and Jannah were sat around the games table, which was covered in a variety of boxes and packets, all emitting delicious smells. ‘That’s not Resistance food,’ she commented as she came over to take a seat.  
‘No it’s not,’ said Lando, smiling as she sat down. ‘I wouldn’t trust that stuff even if I was desperate.’ He nodded at Chewie, ‘Chewbacca here’s been squirrelling stuff away whenever he can.’  
Chewbacca explained that he and Han had embarked, years ago, on a loose attempt to find the most tasty reconstituted food in the galaxy, amassing a huge collection of foodstuffs that were kept on the Falcon in case of emergencies.  
‘Years?’ Finn checked the date on one of the packets carefully. Fortunately it was still in date. As hungry as he was, Finn wasn’t keen on getting poisoned by his food.  
‘We were just talking about Kuat,’ said Jannah conversationally to Rey as they tucked into their meal. ‘Do you know it?’  
‘Not at all,' admitted Rey through a mouthful of food. ‘It’s where the shipyards are, right?’  
‘That’s right,’ said Lando, ‘the Kuat Drive Yards are legendary. Not always for the right reasons.’  
‘They produced ships for the Republic and for the Empire,’ Finn explained to Rey as they carried on eating, ‘and now for the First Order.’  
‘Kuat’s loyal to the First Order, isn’t it?’ agreed Rey, thinking that despite its reconstituted nature, the food managed to be ten times more delicious than anything the Resistance chefs could rustle up.   
‘It is,’ said Lando, ‘although goodness knows why. People there seem to like enforced loyalty and authoritarian leaders. Anyway, the shipyards are mostly in orbit around the planet, but the part that you’ll be going to, the testing department, is in Kuat City.’  
‘It’s not a green planet, then?’ asked Rey, slightly disappointed.  
‘Parts of it are,’ said Finn, ‘but not the part that we’ll be going to.’  
‘It’ll be more like Coruscant,’ added Jannah, ‘but in better shape. From what I remember, the Rebels tried to attack the shipyards on several occasions but didn’t make much headway. Kuat was too well-protected by the Imperials.’  
‘That’s right,’ replied Lando, peering into one of the boxes to see if there was any food left. ‘There’s some good bars and casinos in Kuat City from what I remember. Han and I had a night out there once, although I don’t remember much about it now.’ He winked at the younger people, ‘Sign of a good night, usually!’  
‘I wouldn’t know,’ sighed Finn, realising that he had never been to a bar or a casino for that matter unless it involved a mission or search for intelligence.  
‘What you’ve never been on a night out?’ Lando looked at Finn, aghast.  
All three of them shook their heads. ‘None of us have.’  
‘Well, we’ll have to change that once this war’s over,’ muttered Lando, looking helplessly at Chewie. ‘It’s a sad state of affairs when the older generation has had more fun than the younger ones!’  
The Wookie mewed softly, suggesting that it was probably better to think about how they were going to get into the well protected ship yards rather than worrying about having a night out.  
‘You’re right, Chewie, it won’t be long until we’re out of lightspeed.’ Lando glanced over at the console nearby.  
‘Kuat’s relatively okay to get in and out of,’ said Jannah, looking at the data-pad next to her. ‘It’s not under First Order blockade so it should be simple to drop us off at one of the space ports near the manufacturing district. We’ve got uniforms and ID cards to get into the testing plant.’  
Finn pointed to a large package on the floor, ‘Have you seen the uniform, Rey?’  
‘Not yet.’ Getting up, she went over to the box and delved inside. Poe had found the uniforms from when he had helped Priss before, and it had been fairly simple to rustle up some fake ID cards. Rey pulled out one of the grey jumpsuits they would have to wear, a bulky garment made out of heavy material, with enough pockets on it to store everything she had ever owned. She held it up against her, parading daintily around the floor of the hold. ‘How do I look?’  
‘Pretty terrible!’ laughed Jannah, taking in the frumpy, shapeless trousers and non-existent waistline. ‘That’s the most unflattering thing I’ve ever seen!’  
‘You poor things,’ said Lando, pretending to be outraged.   
Finn laughed too at Rey’s ridiculous performance, glad to see that she was relaxing in their company. ‘It’s not that bad,’ he said, ‘I don’t know about you, Jannah, but I remember some pretty terrible things in the First Order.’  
‘Oh yes, like those trousers we had to wear in training sessions,’ Jannah shuddered.  
‘What was wrong with them?’ asked Rey, coming to sit back down.  
‘They had these strange wing-like things sticking out below the waist,’ explained Jannah, ‘it made us look like we were taking off.’  
‘The only person who ever liked First Order uniform was Hux,’ commented Finn. ‘He was always dragging us if there was anything out of place.’  
‘Right? He was always getting at me because of my hair,’ complained Jannah, remembering. ‘You can see how it is. He was always moaning because I couldn't get it into a tidy bun. But when has neat hair ever won a war?’  
‘I dunno,’ said Lando, chuckling to himself, ‘I’ve got neat hair and I helped win a war!’  
‘Perhaps you’re the exception, then,’ conceded Jannah. ‘But I’m sure that was down to you, not to the Rebels demanding you looked neat and tidy.’  
‘True!’ Lando was really getting to like Jannah. ‘They made Han a General after all!’  
Rey looked over, the mention of Han intrigued her. ‘You must have known Han better than anyone, Lando?’  
‘I did,’ agreed Lando, feeling sad that his old friend was not with them to share in their adventures. ‘Probably better than anyone, except Chewie here.’  
Chewie growled extensively at him, causing Lando to laugh heartily.  
‘Okay, and maybe Leia. But she saw a different side to that old pirate than we did.’ He smiled, remembering the past. ‘What can I say about Han? Lot’s of people underestimated him, thinking that he was simple. A scoundrel with a heart of gold. But he was more than that. Much more. If he’d had a better start in life, who knows what he could have been.’  
There was silence, especially from Rey. It made her feel sad to think that Han’s son, Ben, had all the advantages that his father didn’t have and yet he had still ended up in a terrible place. Han had been affected by his bad start in life, but Ben had been affected, even cursed, by his strength in the Force. With a horrible inevitability, she realised that she had both disadvantages. A bad start in life and strength in the Force.  
‘Anyway, guys,’ Lando went on, starting to tidy up the remains of the meal. ‘I hate to break this party up, but we’re almost at Kuat.’  
‘We better get ready,’ said Finn jumping up immediately to help Lando.  
After helping Lando to tidy up, Rey, Finn and Jannah put on their jumpsuits. They looked even worse on and soon all three of them were collapsing in giggles, seeing how unflattering the suits were. There seemed to be no difference in size or shape for Rey and Jannah, and they ended up swamped with the material compared to Finn, which had him in stitches.  
‘There’s no way, you’re gonna get inside the plant looking like that,’ he said when he could speak again, the giggles having subsided.  
‘It’s fine,’ said Jannah, using a belt to gather in the excess material, and showing Rey how to do the same. After a bit of coaxing, it almost looked like the jumpsuits had been made for them. Then Rey helped Jannah to put her hair into a tidy-ish top-knot, her own hair already tidied away into her familiar three buns.  
Finn handed out their identity cards, which caused another spate of laughing as they saw the terrible photos, and Lando had to chivvy them along as the Falcon came out of hyperspace close to Kuat. With her ID card safe in her top pocket, Rey made sure that her bag, with everything she needed for Kijimi, was ready. Inside were several blasters and her lightsaber, as well as the knife and the recording device. Pleased that she was all prepared, she closed the bag and went to join the others in the cockpit.  
Outside, the terrestrial planet of Kuat loomed in the window, it’s jewel-like colours of green and blue covered with swirls of white cloud. The ring of shipyards could be seen clearly circling the middle of the planet, and Rey was amazed at the scale of the operation. As they approached, she could see the skeletons of gigantic ships, star destroyers and dreadnoughts most likely, attached to scaffolding, workers in suits designed for the conditions of open space buzzing all over their emerging forms. It made her shiver to think of the amount of resources owned by the First Order, that they could afford to make all these ships.  
Then, they were in the planet’s atmosphere, heading towards the surface. The land opened up below them, Rey could just make out mountains, forests and huge lakes but then the city districts appeared and the greenery abruptly vanished. The Falcon sped through the districts, heading for a particular plant owned by Sienar-Jaemus Fleet Systems on the northern outskirts of Kuat City, a huge industrial complex where the prototype ships were checked and tested.  
Landing as close to the complex as possible, Lando opened the hatch and saluted the three young people as they prepared to exit the Falcon. ‘Good luck. We’ll stay in orbit close by, in case you need us.’  
‘Thanks, Lando,’ Finn made sure that he had the comlink. He made his way down the gangway, followed by Jannah and Rey. They were in an area of large, grey warehouses, about two blocks away from the entrance to the testing complex. Waving to Lando, they started to walk towards the complex, the Falcon lifting off behind them, and heading back out of the city.  
‘Everyone okay?’ asked Finn jovially, trying to hide his nervousness behind a casual exterior.  
‘Yeah,’ said Jannah tersely, more concerned about Rey than anything else. ‘What if they’ve got security in place,’ she said to the young Jedi, gesturing to her bag, ‘how are you going to get that through?’  
‘I’ve got some ideas,’ said Rey, trying to be cheerful, ‘don’t worry about it.’  
‘Okay.’ Jannah could see that Rey seemed have a plan in place, which made her feel more confident.  
As they walked around the corner of one of the warehouses they saw the entrance to the testing complex. A long queue of workers snaked along the road, all dressed in the same grey uniform as them. The front of the testing complex was a long white rectangular building, several stories high, and with rows and rows of windows sparkling in the morning sun. A giant sign, huge letters spelling out SJFS, stood atop the building. Workers were entering through a metal gate, before being herded into a small square building just behind it that joined onto the main complex.  
‘That must be the security checkpoint,’ said Jannah, remembering it from their earlier research into the site. ‘They’re bound to check our ID cards and your bag, Rey.’  
‘That’s okay,’ said Rey, as they joined the long queue, slowly shuffling towards the entrance. ‘From what Rose found out, there should be a machine that looks inside rather than a manual check.’  
‘And that’s better?’ asked Finn.  
‘Yes,’ Rey nodded, keeping her voice low. ‘It's easy enough to fool a machine.’  
It took a long time to get to the entrance, and already the queue behind them had grown considerably. The number of people that worked at the complex was colossal, not just humans but citizens of all species. As they waited, Rey felt her anxiety growing, wishing she could get the whole thing over and done with. But of course, she had to try and fit in with the rules of the site otherwise their cover would be blown. Taking a deep breath, she sought to calm herself, using the breathing techniques that she had learnt from one of the older Jedi texts.  
‘Nearly there,’ said Finn eventually, seeing that the entrance was close now. He could see two burly security guards protecting the entrance, more security patrolling the complex inside, dotted around the main courtyard. There was no First Order presence, which surprised him. But it was unlikely that they would see the testing complex as a viable target, it was much more likely that an attack would be mounted on the orbital shipyards.  
Jannah was silent, her way of dealing with her excitement and nervousness was to observe carefully, watching what was going on around her.  
They reached the entrance gate, pushing through the rotating metal sections to get through to the next part of the queue. There was a card reader outside the security building, meaning that only workers with an ID card could access that part of the building. Security guards were positioned either side of the entrance to catch anyone trying to get in without proper identification.  
The three of them took out their cards. Finn reached the card reader first and held it against the scanner. He held his breath as the red light… turned to green and the doors opened. He went inside, joining the next part of the queue.  
The doors closed again and Jannah held her card against the scanner. Immediately they opened and she followed Finn inside. When Rey stepped up to the scanner, the security guard motioned towards her bag. ‘You need to get that scanned.’  
‘Yes,’ Rey nodded and put her card to the scanner, the doors opening.  
‘Take the left-hand queue,’ the guard said before she went inside. Inside the building, Rey could see two queues, one to the right where Finn and Jannah were waiting, leading over to a large metal detector shaped like a an overarching gate, which workers were filling through. The other queue to the left was much shorter, where workers with bags and packets were heading towards a conveyer belt on the one side, upon which they placed the objects they were carrying. These then went into a machine, which flashed an image of their contents to a bored looking operative sat in front of a screen. The workers then collected their things from the other side of a metal detector, similar to the one towards which Finn and Jannah were headed.  
‘I hope she’ll be okay,’ Jannah muttered to Finn as their queue moved slowly towards the metal detector. Another worker had set the alarm off and they were being searched by several security guards.  
‘She said she had a plan,’ said Finn, looking over to where Rey was waiting, staring fixedly ahead. He remembered Rey telling him that she could use the Force as a distraction, or even convince others to obey her commands. He wondered if she planned on using something like that to get past the machine.  
The queue that Rey had joined was even slower than the one that Finn and Jannah was in, and she waited, growing bored, itching to do something. But she knew that she had to stop the urge to act, this was no place for impulsive decisions. She looked over to where Finn was just going through the metal detector, fortunately he got through without incident, and so did Jannah. There was just her now.  
‘Put your bag on the belt, please,’ said a stern voice, snapping her out of her reverie.  
Obediently, Rey put the bag on the belt after several other bags. Then she walked over to the metal detector. The worker in front of her had set off the alarms and had been taken over to one side to be searched. One of the guards on the other side of the gate she had to walk through gestured for her to come towards him.  
‘Have you got anything metal on you?’ asked the guard before she stepped through.  
‘No,’ said Rey, trying to concentrate on her bag at the same time. It was just about to go into the machine.  
‘Step through please, miss.’ The guard motioned for her to come through.  
On the other side of her, the worker that was being searched seemed to be having some kind of panic attack, triggered by the rough handling by the guards, ‘Hey! Get off of me!’  
‘Calm down!’ shouted one of the guards, trying to restrain the man, who was thrashing and kicking out in his distress.  
Rey stepped through the gate just as her bag disappeared into the machine. In the fraction of time before the image flashed up on the screen, she sent a thought into the operative’s mind. Your colleagues might need help.  
‘Get off of me!’ said the worker, his struggles causing the guards holding him to become more authoritative and restrictive.  
‘You okay over there?’ The operative at the screen looked over at what was going on, just as Rey’s bag flashed up, clearly showing the weapons hidden underneath piles of clothes.  
‘No,’ shouted back one of the guards, still struggling to contain the worker, who was now lying on the floor, shouting and screaming. ‘Call for back-up!’  
With the guards distracted, Rey walked through the gate and deftly picked up her bag from the conveyor belt, just as the entire security area was shut down. Quickly, she was ushered away by another guard, ‘Get into the plant,’ said the woman, pushing her towards another set of doors.  
Caught up with the crowd, Rey did as she was told, wondering where Finn and Jannah were. It would be for nothing if they were split up, Finn had the comlink and all Rey had was the name of the contact. Priss. Going through the doors, she emerged into a large white-panelled hallway, bright and spacious from the many windows. There was a reception desk in the middle, a large, open-plan flight of stairs heading upwards behind it, and a very shiny floor in which Rey could see her face.  
‘There you are!’   
Rey looked up to see Finn and Jannah heading over to her. ‘I didn’t think I’d get through.’  
‘What’s going on in there?’ asked Jannah, looking back over to where two guards were shutting the entrance doors to the security area.  
‘Is that something to do with you?’ asked Finn, looking at Rey with suspicion.  
‘Actually no. Someone didn’t like how the guards were handling him,’ Rey explained, feeling sorry for the worker. ‘I dread to think what they will do to him. But,’ she added, ‘it was a useful distraction.’  
‘It’s not only the First Order that are ruthless,’ muttered Finn.  
‘Excuse me,’ said a clipped voice from behind them. They turned round to see a smartly dressed woman staring at them. ‘Haven’t you got jobs to go to?’  
‘Er yes,’ said Jannah, ‘we’re heading for the testing department.’  
‘Off you go then,’ the woman said, her civilised veneer seeming to hide a nasty streak. ‘Actually, show me your ID cards.’  
Finn looked at Rey; they had reached the same conclusion, this woman was trying to catch them out. They all took out their cards again and showed them to the woman. She stared at each one in turn, unable to hide her annoyance. ‘Right. I see you’re new here and maybe you’re not as used to the rules as other workers.’ Handing the cards back, she muttered to herself, ‘I need to talk to management about this. It seems to be a growing problem now that we’ve upped production again.’  
Once they had got their cards back, Finn, Jannah and Rey headed towards a bank of elevators to one side of the hallway, joining a queue of workers heading to different parts of the building. It was not long until they came to the front of the queue and Finn pressed the call button. One of the elevator doors opened and they went inside, followed by more workers. Jannah, who had memorised the details of their contact, pressed the relevant floor and, once the doors closed, the elevator rocketed upwards at such a fast pace that Rey felt her stomach turn. When they reached the right floor, Rey stumbled out, glad to be back on non-moving ground.  
‘Are you okay?’ Finn asked her, thinking she looked queasy.  
‘Yeah, I’m just not very good in elevators,’ said Rey, feeling a change in the atmosphere. Turning round, she saw a woman coming towards them. She was in her sixties, filling out her grey jumpsuit more successfully than her or Jannah. Her short, dark hair was peppered with grey, but she had a friendly face.  
‘Are you the new recruits?’ she asked.  
It was the signal that she knew they had come from Poe. ‘Yes we are,’ said Finn. ‘You must be Priss.’  
‘I am, come this way.’  
She led them down the corridor, which was hung with images of ships, from freighters to TIEs, Star Destroyers and X-Wings. There was no attempt to even hide the fact that the shipyard company worked across both sides of the conflict, ever since the Republic had taken on the Separatists during the Clone Wars.  
Stopping at an office door, Priss pushed it open and ushered them inside. The office was sparsely furnished, there was a desk with a computer screen on it, a set of shelves, a stand with a drinks machine on it, and a couple of seats for visitors. The window looked out over a massive courtyard, where several workers were checking over two ships; a special forces TIE fighter and an Upsilon-class shuttle.  
Priss made sure the door was shut and urged them to take a seat, wheeling out her seat from behind the desk so that they all had something to sit on.  
‘It’s okay,’ said Rey pleasantly, ‘I’d rather stand.’  
‘You must be Rey,’ said Priss with a smile, ‘Poe said that you would probably refuse to sit down.’  
‘He knows me well,’ she grinned, putting her bag against the wall.  
‘And you must be Finn and Jannah,’ Priss went on, taking a seat. ‘It’s great to meet you in person. Poe’s told me many good things about you. You’re his special team.’  
‘There’s Rose as well,’ said Jannah graciously, ‘but she stayed behind this time.’  
‘Yeah, I think I spoke to Rose,’ said Priss. ‘Anyway, where are my manners! Would anyone like a drink?’  
‘Yes please,’ said Finn, looking gratefully at Priss. ‘I guess the ships aren’t ready yet?’  
‘No not yet,’ replied Priss, going over to the drinks machine. ‘Who wants tea?’ Finn and Rey asked for tea, whilst Jannah went with caf. ‘If you want to see the ships, they’re out in the courtyard.’  
Finn and Jannah went to have a look, whilst Rey felt herself drawn towards Priss. ‘Have you been working here long?’ she asked conversationally.  
‘For over thirty years now,’ she answered, handing Rey a cup of tea. ‘But not always in this department. I started in engineering, working on compressors. They kept moving me until I ended up here.’  
‘And how do you know Poe?’  
‘I knew his parents actually,’ said Priss, getting the other drinks ready, ‘his mum, Shara, was friends with my older sister. I’m not originally from Kuat, I was born on Yavin 4 and we got to know Poe and his parents when they lived there. I used to babysit Poe when he was younger.’  
‘And you stayed in touch?’  
‘Yeah, I don’t know how we managed it. But I used to work on the Republic’s fleet before, obviously, the First Order put an end to that.’ She looked at Rey with interest, ‘Poe tells me that you’re training to be a Jedi.’  
‘I am,’ said Rey readily, as Finn and Jannah came over to collect their drinks.  
‘There can’t be many left of you now?’  
‘No. There’s only me. But Finn is Force sensitive too so we’ve done a little bit of training…’  
‘But I’m no where near as advanced as Rey,’ Finn was quick to add.  
‘I saw Luke Skywalker once,’ said Priss, heading back over to her seat now that she had prepared her own drink. ‘He came into the hangar once when I was working there, with his sister, Leia. I can’t really explain it, but he seemed to have this aura around him. You knew he was special just by looking at him.’ She smiled at Rey. ‘You have that aura too.’  
Rey didn't know what to say, settling for an embarrassed smile. ‘So, what’s the plan?’  
‘There’s not much too it, really,’ said Priss, ‘you take the ships on a test run and then mysteriously disappear.’  
‘And you can cover this?’ Finn wanted to know.  
‘Yes,’ said Priss with a smile, ‘ships go missing all the time. I can make up a report that you’ve crashed, or there was a fault with the prototype and you’ve headed off into deep space with no way of coming back.’ When they looked incredulous, Priss added, ‘These are all real events by the way. You’ll be amazed by the disasters we’ve had with prototypes.’  
Jannah wasn’t sure she wanted to take the ship anymore, ‘Are you sure these are safe?’  
‘Don’t worry,’ said Priss, ‘They’ve already been out on one test run and I’ve had them checked over again. There’s no obvious problems that I know about.’  
She was interrupted by a knock at the door. Priss looked up in concern, not expecting anyone to call in. ‘You’re new recruits, right,’ she said quietly as she got up, ‘this is your induction.’  
Opening the door, she let in another worker, dressed in the same grey jumpsuit. He wasn’t much older than Finn, with cold blue eyes and blonde hair cut neatly around his ears. ‘Sorry,’ he said upon seeing the others, ‘I didn’t know you had company.’  
‘What is it you need?’ asked Priss briskly. She did not need to point out that she had made it clear to everyone that morning that she was training new recruits all day. She knew that Dakun already knew that.  
It was evident to the three friends that she did not like this co-worker of hers, and they tried not to stare as he came into the office.  
The co-worker, whose name was Dakun, looked at the three of them with interest. ‘New recruits?’  
‘Yes. I was just inducting them.’  
‘There’s been a lot of new recruits recently,’ said Dakun, staring at Rey especially.  
His interest made Rey feel uncomfortable, and she looked away. The man looked familiar but she couldn’t place him.  
‘Look, is there something you need?’ repeated Priss, looking annoyed. ‘We’ve got a lot to get through…’  
‘Yeah, of course.’ Dakan was unapologetic. ‘I need the paperwork on that TIE outside. I don’t know who signed it off but I just want to check something.’  
‘I signed it off,’ said Priss, leaving the door and going over to her desk. Pressing several buttons on the screen, she printed out a small plastic flimplast and took it back over to Dakun. ‘Here you go.’  
‘Thanks.’ With one last look at the three new recruits, Dakun disappeared back down the corridor.  
Closing the door, Priss muttered under her breath, ‘Idiot.’  
‘Is he causing trouble?’ asked Finn, hoping that it would not derail their plans.  
‘Oh, he’s always causing trouble,’ sighed Priss, taking a seat again. ‘He only started a few years ago but he thinks he should be running the whole department already. Borri, who does run the department, is great. She’s not into hierarchy or any of that shit. It’s the most relaxed place to work. I mean we work hard but there’s not the same pressure as other parts of the shipyards. But all Dakun seems to want to do is make trouble and get us all sacked so that he can take over.’  
‘I bet he’s a real stickler for uniform and rules,’ said Jannah, thinking she recognised another Hux.  
‘You know the type!’ laughed Priss.  
‘Yeah, I worked for one.’ Jannah looked over at Finn and they both said, ‘Hux!’  
‘What, General Hux?’ Priss looked at them in surprise, ‘Of the First Order? Or is it someone with the same name?’  
‘No it’s the same Hux,’ said Jannah, ‘we used to be in the First Order.’  
‘You did? And you got out?’ Priss looked at them with growing admiration. ‘I’ve heard that there are deserters but I never thought I’d meet any. How did you manage it?’  
‘I can’t remember really,’ admitted Jannah. ‘It all seems like a dream now.’  
‘Funnily enough, Poe helped me to escape,’ said Finn, ‘he helped me to pilot a TIE off of one of the Star Destroyers.’  
‘Probably one that we built here,’ sighed Priss, finishing her tea and putting the empty cup on the desk. ‘You know, that’s the one thing I hate about working here. The fact that we’re supposed to be neutral. That we’ll make ships for which ever side pays us. There’s no morals in it, at all. It’s disgusting. We should have picked a side, then at least those who didn’t agree with it could go and work somewhere else.’  
Finn remembered DJ telling him about the ship builders on Canto Bight, how they fed each side of the war and grew fat on the profits. ‘But you’re helping the Resistance. That’s got to count for something?’  
‘I hope so,’ said Priss, the sadness she felt leaking into her voice. ‘You can tell Poe that I’m happy to do anything to help. Except sabotage of course. That’s impossible here. You’ve seen the security? It’s even worse inside the manufacturing plant.’  
There was a bleep on the comlink, and Priss went to answer it. Whilst she was busy chatting, Rey wondered over to the window to have a look outside. She could see Dakun looking over the TIE and she wondered what he was up to. He was too far away to try any mind tricks on him, but she wondered if there was anything else she could do to try and throw him off their scent. If anyone was going to interfere with their plan, it would be Dakun. Although she was certain that she did not know him, she already didn’t trust him.  
Returning from the call, Priss told them that the two ships were ready. ‘We better get going before Dakun comes up with another reason to stop us.’  
‘Do you think he knows what we’re up to?’ asked Finn, starting to feel tense and anxious.  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Priss, picking up a data-pad and grabbing her jacket off the back of her chair, ‘But we can’t be too careful.’  
Before they left, Rey glanced out of the window again, but Dakun had already gone. Picking up her bag, she followed Finn and Jannah out of the room to take the elevator down with Priss to the courtyard.  
Outside, the two ships were waiting in the middle of the concourse, a short walk away from the doors that led into the complex. The concourse was huge, surrounded on all sides by the testing plant buildings. Windows overlooked them on all sides, and Rey glanced around her, looking to see if anyone was watching. Overhead, the sky was blue with only a slight cloud cover. Good conditions for piloting.  
On their way over to the ships, Priss explained that Rey should take the TIE, and Finn and Jannah would both need to fly the command shuttle. It was perfect for their needs, and the three friends quickly agreed that it would be their preferred strategy.  
‘The shuttle’s a bit of an odd one,’ admitted Priss as they headed towards it. ‘It’s not ideal but it’s the only model large enough to accommodate three operatives, which Poe asked specifically for. We’ve only started making these models recently, following plans given to us by the First Order.’  
‘What? These models didn’t originate here?’ Jannah thought that was interesting.  
‘No, they weren’t designed here. Our designers have modified some aspects, but the original plans were developed elsewhere.’  
Finn raised his eyebrows and looked at Rey. ‘That fits in with our ideas that the First Order’s resources originated in the Unknown Regions.’  
‘Is that true?’ Priss regarded him thoughtfully, ‘I’ve always wondered where their endless amounts of resources came from. These ships are not cheap, and we’ve never stopped producing them ever since the First Order first approached us.’  
‘It’s a mystery,’ agreed Finn. One that he hoped Rey would be able to solve.  
Reaching the ships, Priss told Rey to get comfortable on the TIE whilst she showed Finn and Jannah to the shuttle.  
‘This will be goodbye,’ said Rey, who was planning to head straight to Kijimi as Poe had suggested. Handing over the items that they needed from her bag, Rey briefly touched hands with Finn, ‘I’ll see you back at base.’  
‘Good luck,’ he said, wishing that she could come with him and Jannah.  
‘You too!’  
Rey started to climb up the ladder into the TIE, and Finn followed Jannah and Priss up the ramp into the shuttle. Priss explained to the both of them that this shuttle was a slightly smaller version of the original Upsilon-class command ship, that was still used by Kylo Ren. It could be flown by two crew members, although there was room for four in total. Up to eight other occupants could be accommodated in the passenger compartment, which, it being a prototype, was barely furnished.   
‘There’s four landing gears, landing lights should you need them, and two sublight ion engines as well as an internal hyperdrive,’ explained Priss as she gave them a brief tour, ending up in the cockpit. As Finn and Jannah looked over the console, she gave them a quick rundown of the controls, showing them how to take off, land, engage the hyperdrive, and where the shield generators and sensor jammers were located. ‘You can also extend and retract the wings as you need to,’ she showed them. ‘Here are your weapons, there’s two laser cannons.’  
Meanwhile, Rey had climbed into the TIE’s top hatch, getting used to the cramped conditions. She stowed her bag away on the spare seat and started to familiarise the console. She didn’t know much about the fighter but she did know that it was a far superior version of the usual short-range TIE, equipped with powerful laser cannons, a heavy weapons armed turret and warhead launcher. Scanning the console, she could also see that it was equipped with a hyperdrive, much to her relief. It would cut down the journey time to Kijimi considerably. Whilst she was waiting for Priss, she started the sequence for take-off, flipping the switches to get the engines ready and primed.  
Back in the shuttle, Jannah noticed that the doors to the complex were opening. As she watched, to her immediate alarm, Dakun emerged, flanked by several security guards. Her nerves tingled and she turned to Priss, ‘This isn’t good.’  
Priss, who was explaining the basic flight sequence to Finn, glanced up. Seeing Dakun, she gasped audibly. ‘Oh no. He’s gonna try and stop us!’  
‘We need to get going,’ Finn had already started up the engines but the arrival of Dakun created real urgency. Remembering what Priss had told him, he took a seat, looking at the scopes.  
‘You better get going,’ said Priss in alarm, ‘Rey’ll be alright in the TIE, won’t she?’  
‘Yeah, she’s a natural pilot,’ nodded Finn, glancing over as Jannah took a seat beside him. ‘Thanks for everything, Priss.’  
‘I’ll go and find out what he wants. Try and stall him.’ Priss could see that Dakun and the guards had almost reached the ship and she hurried out to meet them. Immediately, the ramp closed up behind her.  
Inside, Finn and Jannah started the sequence for take off, watching as Priss went over to talk to Dakun. The younger man looked angry, gesturing towards the two ships whilst Priss lifted her hands in a calming gesture, trying to explain to him what was happening. Finn imagined she was explaining that a test flight was taking place, that he was interfering with routine procedure. But clearly something wasn’t working because after another angry exchange from Dakun, the guards pulled out their blasters and aimed them at Priss.  
‘What the hell?’ Finn wondered what was going on, already the ship was straining at its supports.  
‘What should we do?’ asked Jannah, part of wanting to help Priss, the other part realising that they could do very little without jeopardising their plan. ‘Should we help her?’  
‘If we stop now, we could lose these ships and blow our cover,’ said Finn, knowing that they were going to have to make a hard decision.  
‘We keep going then,’ said Jannah, pressing the controls that would disengage the supports. Immediately, she could feel the ship starting to lift beneath her.   
Outside, they could see that Priss was trying to talk her way out of the situation with Dakun but it was having little effect. Their blasters were still trained on Priss as she bravely stood in front of the two ships, trying to stop Dakun interfering with their plan. The heavy wings of the ship started to unfold as they lifted off from the concourse; a proximity alert from the TIE also alerted them to the fact that Rey’s ship was starting to take off beside them.  
Suddenly, a shot rang out and Priss fell to the floor, dead.  
Horrified, Jannah gripped her seat. ‘Did you see that?’  
Finn nodded grimly, seeing that Dakun and the guards were now marching towards them. ‘We keep going. Keep your eyes on those scopes.’  
‘Yes.’  
Alarms started to sound across the complex, and several sets of doors opened, emitting more security guards and several First Order stormtroopers onto the concourse.  
‘What?’ Finn stared as the troops rushed towards them, blasters at the ready. ‘So much for the lack of a First Order presence!’  
‘Get the guns!’ yelled Jannah, looking for the weapons controls. But before she could find them, a blast of red laser came streaming past their ship, slamming into Dakun and the security guards, killing them instantly. ‘That wasn’t us!’  
‘That was Rey!’  
By now the concourse was rapidly getting smaller and smaller as they headed upwards into the sky, the great wings of the shuttle resembling a huge bird of prey. The stormtroopers tried to fire on the ship but they were out of range of their blasters. Turning the ship around, they followed Rey’s TIE up into the atmosphere, the planet rapidly shrinking behind them as they headed up and away from the complex.  
‘Poor Priss,’ said Jannah, seeing a red light flashing on the console, indicating that someone was trying to contact them. ‘Should I answer it?’  
‘Yes, I think it’s Rey,’ said Finn, who had already jammed any incoming transmissions from all other channels.  
Pressing the button, Jannah asked, ‘Rey?’  
‘You two okay?’  
‘Yeah, we’re good,’ said Jannah, looking over at Finn. ‘Quick thinking there!’  
‘Dakun was working for the First Order,’ said Rey, ‘He recognised me from somewhere. But I can’t place him.’  
‘Are you sure?’ frowned Finn, concentrating on keeping the ship on an even course as they headed away from the planet. ‘This is the first time you’ve been to Kuat.’  
‘I know, but I have a feeling…’  
Suddenly, red proximity lights started flashing on the console, breaking up the transmission.  
‘We’ve got company,’ came Rey’s voice over the speaker, ‘eight TIEs, launched from Kuat.’  
‘Dammit,’ said Finn, moving to block their transmissions. ‘There must be more than a few First Order troops stationed on Kuat.’  
‘Maintain a steady course,’ said Rey, ‘your ship’s not as manoeuvrable as mine.’  
‘Whatever you say!’ Finn grinned, seeing Rey’s TIE execute a sweeping turn, only to shoot past them to engage the TIEs coming in from behind them. Turning to Jannah, he said, ‘We need to plot a course back to Ajan Kloss.’  
‘Of course.’ Whilst Jannah worked on inputting the route, Finn manned the laser cannons, which proved effective defence against the TIEs that managed to evade Rey’s fighter and flew in close to their shuttle.  
Meanwhile, in the TIE, Rey was juggling learning about the weapons controls with leading the TIEs a merry dance. Her craft swooped and soared around the shuttle, trying to lead them away from its weaker points, and avoiding the shuttle’s heavy bursts of laser from its cannons.   
‘Who designed this thing?’ she grumbled, not finding the controls especially instinctive, but soon she was getting to grips with the gun turret, making light work of the pursuing TIEs. Despite some damage, she whooped as the last fighter exploded in her scopes, obliterated into stardust.  
‘Phew,’ came Finn’s voice over her comms unit, ‘that was some good shooting there!’  
‘I better get to Kijimi,’ said Rey, already plotting her route into the navicomputer. ‘I’ll see you back on base.’  
‘Be careful.’ In the shuttle, Finn switched off the comms unit, and looked across at Jannah. ‘Ready?’  
‘Ready.’  
Pushing the controls to engage the hyperdrive, Finn watched as the space outside turned into faster and faster streaks of light. Then, Kuat was gone.


	16. Rey goes to Kijimi City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey arrives in Kijimi City, where, after running into some pickpockets, she meets Zorri Bliss, an old friend of Poe's. She takes Rey to see Babu Frik, the Jedi scholar who translates the Sith Knife and message for her. Whilst talking it emerges that someone else has been to visit Babu Frik, which angers Rey. Returning to her ship, Rey has a strange meeting with Kylo Ren, who is also present on Kijimi with Hux and Admiral Griss.

Coming out of lightspeed, Rey looked out of the cockpit window as the planet Kijimi came into view. Immediately she pushed her stolen code into the transmitter, attempting to make contact with the main command ship. Despite the tight confines of the ship, she had managed to change out of her test pilot jumpsuit and back into her familiar tunic and pants, the leather belt she favoured wrapped tightly around her waist, lightsaber attached to it. During the relatively short journey, she had been thinking about Priss. She felt awful that their plan to steal the two ships had led to her death. It seemed so needless. Although there were always risks in life, she imagined Priss had not considered that by helping the Resistance, she was opening herself up wide to the machinations of the First Order. Or perhaps she had realised it, but hadn’t cared. Despite working for one of the most notorious ship builders, Priss seemed to know what side she was on in the fight.   
Pushing aside her guilt, Rey concentrated on the planet opening up in front of her. Before she had left for Kuat, Poe had given her a very rushed briefing on Kijimi’s wild, mountainous continents, where in ancient times hermits and religious aesthetics, including the Jedi, had come to establish communities amongst the tall peaks and inhospitable conditions. Stone cities had sprung up around them, rich in culture, with many temples and academies of learning, but also attractive to criminals, who took advantage of the maze-like streets and lack of stable governance to ply their illegal trade. With the fall of the Jedi and domination by the Empire, Kijimi had become a wild, lawless place despite its beauty, and Poe had warned Rey not to be seduced by its apparent air of peacefulness.  
Approaching the planet, Rey could see a ring of Star Destroyers surrounding it, evidence of the First Order’s presence. And there was Kylo Ren’s mobile headquarters, the Steadfast, hovering at the centre of the blockade. Next to it was a far grimier and heavily modified Oubliette-class transport that she had never seen before, and she wondered idly if it belonged to the Knights of Ren. It looked like the kind of ship they would travel about in.  
What is he doing here?  
Frowning, she wondered what had brought the Supreme Leader to Kijimi. When she had last seen him, Ben had been on his way somewhere. But why Kijimi? Was he laying a trap for her? But she had no time to speculate further as her transmission was finally answered.  
‘Greetings, Officer Renwol,’ said an unidentifiable voice, stern and cold. ‘State your purpose.’  
‘Urgent intelligence for the Supreme Leader,’ said Rey into the mic with a confidence that she did not entirely feel. The presence of Kylo Ren might actually work to her advantage, giving her a much more compelling reason to be on Kijimi than her initial story had provided.   
‘Concerning…?’  
‘Concerning the location of the Resistance base.’ Already she had tampered with the navigational computer to give the impression that she had flown in from Coruscant, giving her story a veneer of truth.  
‘And it couldn’t be sent over the usual channels?’ the voice enquired, suspiciously.  
‘No,’ said Rey, her voice wavering ever so slightly. She tried to remember how Connix phrased her intelligence reports to Poe. ‘The information is top tier classified. It must be delivered into the hands of Kylo Ren himself.’  
‘Very well. Submit your clearance code.’   
Making the sure the datafile was ready, Rey punched in the code and breathed deeply, trying to contain her anxiety. She could sense many things but above it all, the dominating presence of the Supreme Leader. Minutes passed by, her ship slowly drifting towards the blockade. Would they accept the code? Please let them accept the code…  
‘Your code is accepted,’ said the voice, snapping her back into the present. ‘The whereabouts of the Supreme Leader are currently unknown but report to Officer Dracaena in Sector BV-167 and you can take things from there. I’ve informed her that you’re on your way.’  
‘Thank you.’ Steering the TIE towards the planet, Rey followed a steady course towards Kijimi City, flying past the huge First Order ships and into the planet’s upper atmosphere. Thick white clouds covered the surface of the planet, something that she had been expecting. Poe said it snowed. A lot. Luckily she had remembered to pack her poncho. It was likely to be very cold.  
It was night and the city, which sprawled across three rocky plateaus, sparkled with hundreds of twinkling lights. Checking the console, Rey made sure that she had jammed any forthcoming transmissions from the First Order. Then she needed to look for somewhere to land.  
Huge lamps guided her ship down towards the city’s main centre, and she found the main spaceport, the doors of which opened up for her ship as soon as she had entered the code. Landing carefully in the designated bay, she pulled on her poncho and left the ship, hurrying past the small reception window, which was fortunately closed. She didn’t want to attract any trouble, particularly when the First Order were expecting her alter ego to turn up. Already, she could see a squadron of snow-troopers marching through the freezing streets up ahead and, pulling her hood up, she went the opposite way to avoid them. Poe had warned her that Kijimi City was a maze of twisting streets that headed up and around the mountain it was built on, arranged on a series of levels. The whole city was built out of stone and wood, with few modifications, made for pedestrians rather than vehicles. In front of her, huge stairs led upwards, lined with market stalls, shops, smoke-filled bars and temples, advertising their business on elaborately carved and painted boards. In the distance, she could hear shouting and what sounded like chanting. Now and then, there was the sound of an explosion. Something else to avoid.  
Keeping to the shadows, Rey checked her data-pad. She was on the right track. Poe had arranged for her to meet Zorri in one of the bars on the fifth level of the city, known locally as the Happy Smuggler. Climbing up a flight of stairs towards the upper levels, she stopped to look at one of the beautiful temples that nestled in-between two shops selling religious icons and sculptures. Its frontage was covered in strings of tiny bells, and statues, of what she presumed to be gods. These took male, female and non-human forms, all carved and painted in wood. Admiring the quirky faces and postures, she moved closer to examine them but felt something tugging gently on her bag, sliding it off her belt. Spinning round, she saw two humans stood behind her, dressed in ragged clothing. Sizing them up, she noticed that one was holding her bag. Both were taller than her but they were skinny and malnourished.  
‘Give that back!’ she demanded, going to grab her blaster from her belt. But that was gone too. Annoyed, she launched herself at them, reaching for her lightsaber instead. Mercifully it was still there. Clearly they did not understand its importance. The two thieves started to attack her, one tried to grab her and the other threatened her with her own blaster but once she ignited her lightsaber, they knew she was a force to be reckoned with and they backed off. They tried to escape down a nearby alley but Rey used the Force to knock them both to the ground. Springing forwards, she landed neatly beside them. This time it was her turn to threaten them. ‘I said, give that back!’  
The thieves hastily complied, giving her back her missing items. Rey watched as they got their feet and ran away, sensing their embarrassment, that they thought she had been an easy target. It made her smile; often on Jakku, other scavengers, and Unkar’s thuggish friends, had thought the same. But she had always proved otherwise, much to their cost.  
Putting her bag back on, Rey felt her senses prickling all over. Turning around, her lightsaber ready, she saw what looked like a bounty hunter stood in front of her. The figure was slight and shorter than she was, dressed in a thick burgundy jumpsuit, the face hidden behind a preposterously large gold and black mask.   
Seeing the lightsaber, the figure adopted a more submissive posture. ‘It’s alright,’ it said, revealing a female voice. ‘I saw how you handled the other two. I’m not going to attack.’  
‘Then what do you want?’ Rey stood firm, keeping a tight hold on her weapon. After what had happened she was taking no chances.  
‘You must be Rey,’ laughed the woman, holding out her hand. ‘Poe warned me you were hot tempered. I’m Zorri.’  
Embarrassed, Rey put her lightsaber away. She managed a smile, ‘Sorry. I’m just a bit on edge.’  
‘That’s okay, being in the middle of a First Order blockade will do that to you,’ said Zorri, moving out of the way as a group of protesters walked past, carrying large placards and an array of home-made weapons. ‘But we need to get out of here.’  
‘What are they doing?’ asked Rey, watching the group as it headed down the street towards the city centre.  
‘There’s a protest going on about the blockade. It’s been going on for weeks now. Lots of people are unhappy about it.’ Zorri motioned for Rey to follow her, ‘Come on, it’s not safe out here. You’ll attract attention with that fancy lightsaber work of yours, and attention is what we don’t need. There’s patrols everywhere.’  
Abashed, Rey returned her lightsaber to her belt and followed Zorri as she wound her way confidently through the narrow streets, clearly at home. It had started to snow, covering the ground in a light dusting of white flakes. It added to the beauty of the old city, the falling snow sparkling in the light of the many lamps. ‘Are we going to see the scholar?’  
‘Yes,’ said Zorri as they passed by more groups of citizens on their way to join the protests. ‘His name’s Babu Frik. It’s not far from here.’  
‘And he’s awake now?’ Rey was confused with it being night-time.  
Zorri laughed, ‘I’ve already warned him you were coming. He was so excited when he heard about the knife.’  
‘Really?’ Rey could not understand how anyone could be excited about the horrible weapon. Even Beaumont had complained about having strange dreams when it was in his possession. He couldn’t wait to give it back to her.  
‘You’ve clearly never met a Jedi scholar before,’ said Zorri, grinning under her mask, ‘they get excited about anything old and dusty. The older and dustier the better.’  
As she followed her through the city, Rey was getting to like Zorri. She clearly had a sense of humour and was not afraid to speak her mind. It was a bit disconcerting not being able to see her face but she realised that in a lawless city like Kijimi, keeping your identity hidden was crucial to staying alive. It had been the same on Jakku.  
Despite Zorri saying it wasn’t far, the streets seemed to go on forever and Rey was soon disorientated. Climbing yet another steep set of stairs she was convinced that they had already been that way, when Zorri took a sudden right turn and stopped in front of a small door. It was made out of plain wood with no distinguishing marks on it. There was a single bell hanging up next to the door, a long chain next to it. When Zorri pulled the chain, the bell rang with a charming, musical peal. They waited and after a few minutes, a small panel opened up in the door.  
‘Yes?’  
‘It’s Zorri,’ said the spice runner, ‘with a friend.’  
The panel shut again and this time the door opened and they were ushered inside by a small Anzellan, dressed in a black tunic and white apron.  
‘Babu’s housekeeper,’ Zorri explained as they followed the servant into a long corridor filled with piles of papers and books, and up a steep and narrow flight of wooden stairs. The house seemed to be leaning on its side with the weight of all the clutter inside it and Rey began to feel dizzy.  
‘You get used to it,’ said Zorri, seeing her discomfort. ‘Took me a while though.’  
Stepping over another pile of papers, Rey wondered if the housekeeper ever did any actual housekeeping. The house was filthy, stinking of stale and mouldy paper. Strange organisms were growing on the walls, nourished by the water running down from cracks in the ceiling, and most of the wallpaper was peeling off with the damp. ‘Who lives like this?’  
‘Babu,’ laughed Zorri, ushering her into a room that led off from the upstairs corridor. ‘Wait until you see his office.’  
The office was a surprisingly large chamber, with curved windows looking out over the snow-swept city. Once it had been elaborately decorated - Rey could still see traces of paint on the ceiling mouldings - but now every inch of it was crammed with papers and books, from the large book shelves that reached up to the ceiling, to every available surface, including the floor. There might have been furniture in the room but Rey couldn’t see anything under all the books. In the middle of it all sat an ancient wooden desk, also piled high with books and papers.  
Babu Frik was waiting for them, perched on top of a pile of books, their spines bound in cracked and ancient leather. The scholar was not at all what Rey had been expecting. He was an Anzellan of tiny stature but big personality, goggles for close reading pushed back on top of his head. He peered at her from his large, expressive eyes, speaking quietly and rapidly to Zorri, as she explained to him that this was Rey, the Jedi that she had been telling him about.  
‘Nice to meet you, Rey,’ said Babu kindly, ushering her over with a small hand. ‘I’ve never met a real Jedi before.’ He giggled, a surprisingly high-pitched sound. ‘I don’t suppose there are many of you left now?’  
‘No. There’s only me, really.’  
‘Then this is a very rare treat.’ Returning to his pile of books, Babu Frik encouraged his visitors to sit down. ‘Please, take a seat,’ he said to Zorri and Rey, and, after moving yet more piles of paper, they did. ‘Tell me, what have you brought for me?’  
Reaching into her bag, Rey pulled out the knife and put it onto the desk. ‘This is the first thing.’  
As soon as he saw the knife, Babu’s eyes lit up. ‘Ahhh, I knew it. This is something really special.’   
Carefully, Rey held the knife out to him, watching as he took it in his tiny hands. The knife was almost as large as he was. Reverently he turned it over, examining the runes closely. ‘Do you know what this is, my dear?’  
‘Not really,’ admitted Rey, ‘I spoke to an pilot and historian, Beaumont Kin. He thought it was a sacrificial knife.’  
‘You know Beaumont?’ Babu smiled brightly, ‘I had the honour of teaching his father. Now he was a proper relic hunter, let me tell you. So many interesting things in his collection. I was extremely jealous.’ He trailed off, distracted by something he had seen on the knife. ‘Sorry, my dear, my brain is already trying to translate this. Where was I?’  
‘You were telling us what the knife was used for,’ Zorri reminded him, clearly used to the scholar’s memory lapses.  
’This knife,’ he said solemnly, ‘is inscribed with the ancient Sith tongue of ur-Kittat and says that it belonged to Desolous.’  
‘Who was Desolous?’ asked Rey, strange sensations tingling in her limbs. The name of the Sith seemed to have a peculiar effect on her.  
‘Not much is known about her,’ said Babu Frik, hopping over to one of the books on the table. ‘The most we know is that she was a great scholar, one of the wisest Sith ever to have lived. According to Sith propaganda, of course. But there is no doubt she was supremely intelligent. She wrote a series of treatises about the Sith philosophy, sadly lost to us now. But some fragments remain.’  
‘And this was her knife, huh?’ Zorri was not interested at all in the history of the Jedi and the Sith, but a female Sith was intriguing.   
‘Let me see.’ Babu shifted through the papers, looking for something. ‘Aha, here it is.’ Pulling out a sheaf of papers, he handed them to Rey. ‘These are my notes on Desolous, take them with you, if you think they might be useful.’  
‘Are you sure?’ Rey took them hesitantly, not wishing to deprive the eccentric scholar of his work.  
‘Of course, of course,’ said Babu, waving her concerns away. ‘What good is all this knowledge if I cannot share it?’  
‘Thank you.’ Rey took the notes and stuffed them into her bag.  
Babu turned back to the runes on the knife’s blade. Pulling down his glasses, he peered at them closely. ‘Let me see… ahhh I understand it now.’ He looked up at Zorri and Rey, his eyes appearing huge from behind the glasses. ‘The Sith language is peculiar in that the same words can mean very different things depending on their context and inflection. This dagger is telling me that Desolous had it made for the glory of the Sith, that she imbued it with the power of the dark side and that it can only be used by a woman. No man may profane its sacred use.’  
‘Pardon?’ Zorri sounded confused, ‘This dagger was purposefully made so that only a woman could use it?’  
‘Yes,’ shrugged Babu, handing it back to Rey. ‘What you have here is a powerful weapon, my dear, one that belonged to the greatest female Sith lord. I don’t know what you intend to do with it, nor am I interested, but you must treat it with the greatest respect. In the wrong hands, it could be lethal.’  
‘I intend to destroy it,’ she said, it carefully from Babu Frik.  
Babu did not hide his disappointment. ‘I understand your reasons, my dear, but it would be a shame to lose such a historic and valuable artefact. Besides, it is unlikely that such a knife could be destroyed, forged as it was, most likely, through an arcane ritual.’  
‘Beaumont said that I could destroy it if I returned it to the darkness.’  
‘Then I will bow to Beaumont’s greater knowledge on this subject. Although,’ the tiny scholar went on, ‘I am not sure where you will go to find the source of this darkness.’  
‘It has something to do with the other thing I found,’ said Rey. Putting the dagger back into her bag, she reflected that she was none the wiser why Ochi had been searching for the knife. It was clearly powerful and what Babu had said about it being in the ‘wrong hands’ chilled her to the bone, especially now she knew what had happened to her parents.  
‘You have something else?’ Babu was looking at her eagerly.  
Reaching into her bag, Rey took out the recording device and handed it to the scholar. Although the dagger was interesting, it seemed to have no bearing on what Ochi had been up to, other than his interest in ancient artefacts. Perhaps the recording would be more revealing.  
Pressing the button, Babu listened, fascinated, as the blurry hologram spoke rapidly in its guttural language. ‘My dear, you do know how to treat me, don’t you! I have to tell you that I have never heard ur-Kittar being spoken before.’  
‘Each to their own,’ muttered Zorri under her breath. Rey glanced at her and smiled, although the scholar’s enthusiasm was infectious, it was amusing that he was so excited about a dead language.  
‘Let me listen to that again.’ Babu listened to the recording several times, noting down words and phrases as he did so. Distracted, Rey looked through some of the papers that were balanced precariously on the side arm of her chair. One was a list of Sith warriors with strange, wicked- names including Bane, Derriphan, Oppress, and Mortis.  
‘Right,’ said Babu, removing his glasses from his eyes and perching them back onto his head. ‘This will be a very rough translation, my dear, the inflections are very different to what I expected. I think the person recording this message wants someone called Ochi to hide a holocron for him that contains the location of Exegol.’  
‘Exegol, where’s that?’ asked Zorri in her characteristic drawl.  
‘You know it?’ asked Rey, seeing a hint of recognition in Babu’s eyes.  
‘Not personally. Exegol is in the far fringes of the Unknown Regions,’ explained Babu to both of them. ‘It is so situated that it is almost impossible to navigate to the system unless you have the precise co-ordinates. We only know of its existence because of fragments from a journal written by Kelsa Mesoriaam…’  
‘Who?’ Zorri was getting lost in all the names and information being thrown at them.  
‘Why, the great explorer who is, as far as I know, the only being to have mapped out the Unknown Regions,’ explained Babu. ‘And he only managed it because he was helped by one of the navigators that served the Grysk Hegemony. They are the only ones who have ever found a way through.’  
‘Why is this place so important then, if nobody’s heard of it?’ asked Zorri, dryly.  
‘Mesoriaam claimed to have found a source of dark side power there,’ said Babu Frik conversationally.  
It reminded her of Luke’s note in his journal. ’We also think it’s where the First Order originated,’ Rey explained to Zorri.  
‘Ah, that’s interesting,’ said Babu, nodding his head vigourously. ‘Jyna Carrsona tried to claim that Snoke was from Exegol. I always wondered on what authority she was able to attest that.’  
It was beginning to fall into place. A place of dark side power that may or may not be upsetting the balance of the Force. That might be the home planet of Snoke. Rey knew that she was on the right track.  
‘We don’t need to get into rivalries between scholars,’ said Zorri firmly, realising that they had been there a while already. ‘Just tell us what the rest of the message says.’  
‘Fair enough.’ Babu consulted his notes, and listened to the recording again. ‘He’s telling Ochi to hide it in the Emperor’s vault.’  
‘You’re mixed up in some crazy stuff, Jedi,’ muttered Zorri, talk of the Sith and the Empire making her anxious. No wonder Poe had been so apologetic.  
‘The Emperor’s vault?’ asked Rey in dismay.  
‘I expect it means the vault on the remains of the Death Star,’ said Babu, as if it was obvious. He handed the recording back to Rey, along with the scrap of paper on which he had noted the message down.   
‘What remains?’ asked Rey, knowing that the Death Star had been obliterated following the battle of Endor. ‘There’s nothing left of it!’  
‘On the contrary, some parts of the Death Star miraculously survived the explosion,’ said Babu Frik in his animated way. ‘It crashed onto one of Endor’s moons, Kef Bir, which incidentally is also known as the ocean moon.’  
‘To distinguish it from the forest moon?’ Zorri asked. ‘Where the Ewoks live?’  
‘Kef Bir,’ murmured Rey, putting the recording and the translation back into her bag. Needless to say, that would be her next destination.  
‘Possibly, possibly. It still surprises me that so few people know about the Death Star,’ mused Babu, almost to himself ‘Why, I had exactly the same conversation with Kylo Ren,’ he went on blithely, ‘considering the depth of his knowledge in other subjects, it was quite surprising that he was unaware of its existence. I thought he’d take more of an interest, considering…’  
As his words sank in, Rey turned pale. ‘You’ve been speaking with Kylo Ren?’  
‘Why yes,’ nodded Babu, ‘he came here with his Knights. Quite a sight they were, all here in this room.’  
‘What did he want?’ Anger and fear rumbled inside her; Ben must be looking for Exegol too. Perhaps it was not a coincidence that he had come to Kijimi after all. Could he have seen it in her mind?  
‘Like you, he wanted to me to translate something written in ur-Kittat for him.’  
‘What did it say?’  
Babu Frik shook his head, ‘I’m sorry, Rey, what was said between myself and Kylo Ren must remain private.’  
‘But I need to know,’ said Rey, her frustration growing. ‘He’s after the holocron too, isn’t he?’  
‘I couldn’t possibly say,’ began Frik, nervously wiping the sweat from his brow. He looked at Zorri for support.  
‘Leave it, Rey,’ warned Zorri, hoping that the young woman would take the hint. She could see that Babu was torn, he wanted to help the Resistance but not at the expense of his life.  
‘Tell me why he was here!’ But Rey grew insistent, growing more and more angry with the scholar as he ignored her demands.  
‘Look, Rey…’  
Suddenly she snapped and pulled out her lightsaber. ‘Tell me!’  
The room fell utterly silent except for the lightsaber’s hum. Frozen to his desk, Babu looked terrified and Zorri stared at Rey, concerned by her aggression. She knew that Kylo Ren was her enemy but her insistence on finding out about his visit to Babu seemed to be provoked by unexpectedly strong emotions.  
‘Alright I’ll tell you,’ Babu finally conceded defeat. ‘But you must put that thing away.’  
As the anger and frustration drained away, Rey realised that she had gone too far. She had let her feelings about Ben get the better of her. Chastened, she extinguished the weapon and replaced it on her belt. ‘Forgive me.’  
‘It’s quite alright,’ said Babu kindly, looking for his notes. ‘If it’s that important, I can tell you what we talked about. Here they are. Okay, he brought me a scroll that he found on Mustafar. It was a tattered old thing, and it took me a while to decipher because it was in such a bad state but essentially it told of a great, dark power, called the Shadow, that resides on the planet of Exegol.’  
‘Then he does know about Exegol.’ Now she had a name for what she was looking for.  
‘It seems that way,’ agreed Babu Frik, ‘and in answer to your other question, he did know about the holocron and its location. However, he did not know that the ruins are on Kef Bir.’  
‘But you told him that?’ sighed Zorri, looking helplessly at Rey.  
‘Er, yes. I suppose I did.’ Babu shrugged apologetically. ‘Believe me, if I’d have known the Resistance were after the holocron, I would have kept it to myself.’  
‘I need to get there before he does,’ Rey murmured to herself, feeling hurt that Ben was after the same thing as her, and had never thought to tell her. Even when they had been getting closer. It reinforced, however, that she had made the right decision to abandon her hope that he would turn back to the light. It seemed that he had been manipulating her all along, just as the voices had tried to warn her. To Babu Frik, she said, ‘I’m sorry about before. I wasn’t angry at you. I was angry at Ben… I mean, Kylo Ren.’  
‘I’m not surprised,’ frowned Zorri, wondering what was going on in Rey’s head. ‘You’ve got every right to be angry with him. He’s trying to crush all opposition to his rule of the galaxy.’  
‘He is,’ said Rey dismally, ‘but we’re also a dyad, connected by the Force. I thought it meant we couldn’t have secrets.’  
‘You’re a what now?’ asked Zorri, wondering if she had heard correctly.  
‘Oh my dear Rey, we keep secrets for all sorts of reasons,’ said Babu softly. ‘Sometimes its because we don’t want others to get hurt, not because we want to keep things from them.’  
‘A dyad, connected together by the Force.’ Rey said this to Zorri but she couldn’t help wondering what Babu was getting at. Was he trying to say that Ben wanted to protect her from what was on Exegol? Did he know more about the darkness that lurked there than she did?  
‘A dyad?’ Zorri wanted to know more about Rey’s relationship to Kylo Ren. ’What does that mean?’  
‘It’s complicated,’ sighed Rey, smiling faintly. ‘It’s to do with a prophecy.’  
‘Is it?’ Babu Frik remembered something. ‘Yes, it is. I know of that prophecy.’ Looking over at one of the piles of ancient, leather bound books stacked on the table, Babu Frik looked down the spines, muttering away to himself. Eventually he found the one he needed at the bottom of the pile. He looked at Rey apologetically, ‘If you would be so kind…?’  
Lifting up the book pile for him, Rey watched as the tiny being pulled out the one he needed. The book was larger than him but he handled it deftly. ‘Thank you.’  
Whilst Babu Frik rifled through the book, looking for a particular page, Zorri turned to Rey, her mind full of questions. ‘But how does this connection work with you being a Jedi and he being a… whatever he is?’  
‘Kylo trained as a Jedi before he turned to the dark side,’ explained Rey, ‘and I think our connection is something to do with our combined strength in the Force. We can see and speak to each other across space, and even see into each other’s minds.’ She sighed, ‘I thought once that our connection would help me convince him to turn back to the light, but… he didn’t.’  
‘I don’t see how that’s your responsibility,’ said Zorri, hearing Rey’s disappointment, ‘but I can understand why you would be angry with him. If he couldn’t turn for a beautiful young woman like you, I don’t know what could do it.’  
Rey found herself blushing, ‘I don’t think that has anything to do with it.’  
‘Aha, here it is.’ Babu Frik had found the page he wanted. He turned the book towards Rey so that she could see the relevant section. ‘There isn’t much known about this prophecy, except for one incantation written in the Old Tongue. It’s very similar to the Sith Rule of Two…’  
‘Rule of Two?’ It was Zorri who asked the question.  
Rey stayed silent, devastated to learn that the prophecy that had helped her to make sense of her relationship with Ben was linked to the Sith.  
‘Only two Sith Lords can exist at any time, a master and an apprentice,’ Babu explained for both their benefit, ‘It was supposed to prevent infighting amongst the dark lords, as well as ensure that Sith knowledge and power passed down relatively undiluted.’  
‘It relates to two Sith coming together?’ Rey managed to ask. She was appalled that the prophecy she had been clinging to as evidence of her greater purpose was actually born of darkness. It suggested that the balance to be found was that of two powerful users of the dark side, not light. What her visions had been pointing to all along.  
‘It’s not absolutely clear,’ remarked Babu, immersed in the words before him. ‘The inflections in the incantation are very different from the Rule of Two and imply that such a dyad is incredibly rare. Let me see… it says, and I quote;

Two will come together.   
Shining, pure and true.  
Powerful light and powerful dark,  
Bringing balance to the Force.

Something like that, anyway, poetry is not really my forte.’ He paused for a moment, studying the next line. ‘I think this says;

Two will come together.   
Their purpose good and clear.  
Stronger than life itself,   
When their power is revealed.

I’m not sure about that last line, it doesn’t scan so well.’  
Stronger than life itself… That line caught Rey’s imagination, it was the same as the old woman had told her, and Ben had said it too. Did it mean that, together, her and Ben would be invincible? But what would that mean for the state of the galaxy if it was a union based on darkness? She did not know. But one thing she did know was that she would never join Ben on the dark side. She would do everything in her power to resist it.  
Babu closed the book. ‘I wouldn’t be too worried by its connection with the Sith. After all, the Jedi venerated the relationship formed between the Master and Padawan, which could feasibly be described as a form of dyad. It makes for an interesting question, at any rate.’  
‘Yes it does. Thank you, Babu.’ It was time to leave; she needed to go back to Ajan Kloss and process what she had found out. Furthermore, she was tired, unable to take in any more information.   
‘Take this, my dear,’ said Babu, handing her two pieces of paper, on them the rough translations of the dagger, recording and prophecy. ‘To remind you.’  
‘Thank you.’ Rey took them gratefully, ’I hope I can repay you someday for the kindness that you have shown to me.’  
‘Think nothing of it,’ said Babu cheerfully, ‘what you and the Resistance are doing to curb the excesses of the First Order will be more than repayment enough. Thank you, for allowing me to share a little in your incredible journey.’   
The scholar held out his small hand to her, and Rey took it, ‘Goodbye.’  
Beside her, Zorri was more cautious in her assessment of the prophecy. Although she was intrigued by Rey’s bond with her adversary, it was concerning that there a prophecy that suggested the Supreme Leader of the brutal First Order would become even more powerful in connection with the young woman beside her. Perhaps it was better that they remain separated, as enemies on opposite sides.  
As they walked down the creaky staircase, Zorri said to Rey, ‘You can tell me where to go, if you want, but this prophecy basically means that you and Kylo Ren have to join together to bring peace?’  
‘It seems so,’ said Rey, concentrating on getting down the stairs without breaking her ankle.  
‘But how will that be possible, considering he won’t turn back to the light?’  
‘I don’t know,’ Rey admitted, following Zorri down the narrow hallway, ‘It’s like the Force wants me to do something I’m ill-equipped for.’  
No wonder she was not the calm Jedi that Zorri had expected. ‘You’re the only Jedi left, huh.’  
‘That’s right,’ said Rey, ‘although I wouldn’t really call myself one.’  
‘You seem like a proper Jedi to me,’ insisted Zorri, thinking that Rey lacked confidence in herself. ‘You’re handy in a fight, you care about the state of the galaxy. Well, you must do to be fighting for the Resistance. I think you’re worthy of the name.’  
‘Thank you.’ Rey half-smiled, realising that she had not thought about it that way before. ‘But I hope there will be another soon.’ Whether that would be Ben or Finn, she did not know.  
Leaving the house, they headed back into the streets. It had been snowing steadily during their time they had been with Babu Frik and the snow drifts had built up into large piles at the side of the footpaths, blown there by the wild south-westerly wind. A large number of footprints, in a regular pattern and recently made, suggested that a First Order patrol had been that way only moments before.   
‘We’d better split up,’ said Zorri, somewhat reluctantly. Despite feeling that she had been dropped into the middle of a very complicated situation, she had come to admire the headstrong young Jedi. ‘There’ll be another patrol coming round soon.’  
Delving into her bag, Rey found the payment for Zorri. ‘As we agreed,’ she said, handing it over.  
‘Thank you,’ Hiding it in her clothing, Zorri did not even check it. Although Rey was impulsive, she was not a liar or a cheat. ‘I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend more time together,’ she said to Rey, opening up her helmet so that the Jedi could see her eyes. They were large, dark, and thoughtful, even captivating. ‘I like you.’  
Rey smiled. ‘I like you too.’ She clasped Zorri’s proffered hand tightly, wondering at the spice runner’s story. Her connection with Poe. ‘May the Force be with you, Zorri.’  
‘And with you. Give my love to Poe.’ And with that, Zorri vanished into the dark streets. Her helmet glimmered for one more moment in the light of the lamps, and then she was gone.  
Overcome by everything that had happened, Rey stood quietly, watching the snow fall. It was mesmerising, and she looked upwards into the sky, following the flurries with her eyes as the wind swirled the flakes into lazy circles in the light of the nearby lamps. She felt a thrill of coldness as they landed on her upturned face, each flake seemingly fragile, but building up thickly on the ground as they continued to fall. She was so entranced by the stuff that she did not notice when someone came up behind her.  
‘Rey.’  
To say she was startled was an understatement. Whirling around, her lightsaber draw and ready, she saw that it was Ben, his cape covered in light flakes of snow. How long he had been standing there, she did not know. Breathing heavily, she stared at him, bewildered. How she had not felt his presence through the Force was a mystery. But now that she did see him, her heart hammered in her chest. With the light behind him, he looked like a giant shadow looming over her. A predator, come to catch its prey.  
‘I wasn’t hunting you,’ he said, hurt by her silent accusations. He regarded her coolly. ‘You’re lucky I found you. Hux wouldn’t have hesitated to kill you.’  
‘Why didn’t you tell me you were looking for Exegol?’ she blurted out, still annoyed with him. But she did put her lightsaber away.  
‘Why would the Resistance be interested in Exegol?’ he replied, with some derision. But he couldn’t help noticing how upset she was. Something had changed since they had last spoken, and her anger and hatred for him had returned. With full force. It burned her inside that he had kept something from her, something that she thought was important.  
‘They’re not. I am.’  
‘Why?’ He was genuinely interested that she was taking an independent course of action away from her friends.   
‘I have my reasons.’  
‘You don’t know the first thing about it.’  
‘I know enough,’ she snapped, feeling her hackles rising at his scornful and cold demeanour. Now that she had made her decision to avoid getting any closer to him, she knew she had to remind herself that despite his manipulation by Snoke, he had chosen to stay in the darkness. She also had to ignore the complex feelings he provoked within her, the fact that his proximity to her had already caused her heartbeat to quicken. It was anxiety, she told herself, not attraction.  
‘You think you do… I’ve been in your mind, remember.’  
‘It was a mistake,’ Rey said petulantly. She was angry at herself more than anything for allowing him to get to her but he was an easy target for her frustration.  
‘It was?’ asked Ben, brushing the snow away from his hair and his cloak. He was not so enamoured of it as Rey was. ‘I’m surprised. After all we’ve shared…’  
‘It meant nothing,’ she said irritably, ready to walk away and leave him. ‘I don’t owe you anything.’  
‘No, I don’t suppose you do.’ There was a soft bleep from under his cloak. Reaching inside, Ben pulled out his comlink. ‘What is it?’  
‘Supreme Leader,’ said a small tinny voice, Hux’s voice. ‘We have reason to believe that the scavenger is on Kijimi. It appears that she has stolen a First Order ship in order to infiltrate the City. She was last spotted in Sector BV-951.’  
‘Put all troops on high alert and search the area,’ said Ben calmly, looking steadily at Rey, who had stopped in her tracks. ‘I’ll meet you at the command ship.’  
Fear replaced her anger as Rey realised that she was not safe anywhere. Who had reported her?  
‘Come on.’ Grabbing her by the arm, Ben started to march Rey down the cobbled street, made slippery by the snow.  
‘Hey!’ She tried to wrestle out of his grasp but he ignored her protests. ‘What are you doing?’  
‘Saving your skin,’ he said tersely, keeping a tight hold on her. ‘Where’s this ship of yours?’  
‘The main spaceport.’ She couldn’t remember its name.  
Ben frowned. ‘Great, right in the centre of the uprising.’  
‘What uprising?’ You could at least slow down a bit, she thought grumpily.  
‘Citizens are unhappy about our attempts to crackdown on crime,’ Ben said distractedly. He saw one of the First Order patrols in the distance and quickly changed direction, heading down one of the narrower alleyways. ‘Let’s go the long way round.’  
He was acting as if they were going for a friendly stroll and it rankled her all the more. If only he would let go of her arm. Like everything to do with their connection, his touch created intense feelings inside her and she would rather not have to deal with them at that time. ‘And you need to come with me because…?’  
‘I need to speak to you,’ Ben said, finally getting round to why he had sought her out. ‘Don’t go to Kef Bir.’  
‘Why?’  
‘The ruins will be filled with ghosts, with the dark side… They’ll try to tempt you.’   
Rey didn’t know what to say. It had been her, after all, who had gone to him, concerned about the dark side’s influence. But what was strange was his need - she felt it as such - to prevent her from succumbing to the darkness.   
He’s lying, said a voice inside her head, and she remembered her vision. Perhaps he was only pretending to care. Perhaps he wanted to be responsible for turning her.  
‘It’s already changing you,’ Ben continued, finally relaxing his hold on her arm even if he did not let go. ‘You’re vulnerable to it.’  
She blanched at his words, but he was not the only one to have said it. Aggression seemed to have become ingrained into her nature. ‘Finn thinks so too.’  
‘Finn?’ When she nodded, he know that she meant FN-2187. He wondered if her increased belligerence towards him was because her friends had discovered she had been secretly communicating with their enemy. ‘He didn’t take our connection well.’  
‘What do you think?’  
‘I expected the Resistance to try to use it for their own purposes,’ he said, more distantly. The snow was coming down heavily now, coating his hair and stinging his face. Making him shiver despite his thick clothing.  
‘Who said they didn’t?’ Rey looked at him sharply. ‘But it’s of no use to them. You don’t tell me anything,’ she added, bitterly.  
Abruptly, he stopped in the middle of the street, letting go of her arm. The heavy snow whirled around them, their faces lit by the lamps overhead. At that moment Rey looked more beautiful than ever, the light catching her eyes as she stared at him. ‘Let’s both look for the holocron,’ he said, dropping all pretence that he was in charge of the situation. Truthfully, he wanted her to run away with him. To leave everything behind that created such hatred between them. He would have begged her, pleaded with her if he thought it would make a difference. But he was too scared in case she rejected him again.  
‘Ben…’  
‘Let’s go together,’ he repeated, getting desperate. ‘We can find Exegol. Find the Shadow.’  
‘We can’t.’ Yet she felt pulled in all directions, his eyes drawing her in. They told her that she would be safe with him, that he meant her no harm. Could she believe him? Could she accept his offer?  
The darkness commands him, not the light. He’s lying. It was the voice in her head again.  
‘We’re not on the same side,’ she said finally, looking away.  
‘The prophecy doesn’t care what side we’re on,’ Ben started to say, but Rey shook her head.  
‘Yes it does.’  
‘So that’s a no then,’ muttered Ben, crestfallen. There was no convincing her that they could work together. It was not a complete surprise but he thought he had made some progress. Pulling himself together, he started to walk down the street again, although this time he did not try to drag her along with him.  
Sensing the abrupt change in his mood, Rey followed after him. ‘Ben?’  
‘Hmm?’  
‘Did you know the dyad is mentioned in a Sith prophecy?’  
‘No.’ Despite his disappointment, he couldn’t help being intrigued and waited for her to catch up. ‘Tell me.’  
‘Babu Frik said it was similar to the Rule of Two,’ she explained, matching his pace as he started walking again, ‘two beings, powerful in the Force.’  
He hadn’t thought to ask Babu Frik about the prophecy, ‘What else did he say?’  
For an answer, she reached into her bag and found the translation that Babu had given her. She handed it to him, ‘Here.’  
Taking it, his eyes scanned it quickly. It told him nothing more than he had found out from the Oracle so he handed it back to her.  
They continued on in silence, both of them too caught up in their own emotions to attempt further conversation. The streets were quiet, the increased patrols having sent most citizens scurrying back to their homes, although some of the bars remained open despite the snow pelting down. If there was one thing that visitors to Kijimi could be certain of was an open bar. It would take more extreme circumstances than a riot to close them all down.  
They were about to turn into the next street when something made Ben stop suddenly, causing Rey to bump into him. He held up his hand in caution and Rey did not dare move. She was pressed up against his side and could not see what had prompted him to stop until she heard the tramp, tramp of stormtrooper boots echoing down the quiet streets towards them.  
Hux?  
He nodded and motioned for her to keep quiet. They stood silently, cloaked by the Force, as the noise of boots became louder, indicating that the troops were passing their hiding place. After a while, the noise started to fade away into the distance. Rey was about to speak when Ben shook his head.   
Not yet.  
The next moment, Hux and another First Order officer she did not recognise strode past, following behind the troops. As soon as the coast was clear, they entered the now empty street.  
‘You’ll be safe from here,’ said Ben flatly, pointing down the street behind them. ‘The spaceport’s that way.’ He looked at her for a moment, unsure what to say but eventually he settled on, ‘You know to send the code before you get to the blockade, right? That way, they’ll let you straight through.’  
Now that it was time to leave him, Rey wondered if she had been unfair to Ben. In his haphazard way, he had offered her his help. Now all she felt from him was disappointment, but she didn’t know what to say, or how to make relations between them easier. Instead, she settled for a heartfelt, ‘Thank you.’  
‘You better go.’  
Nodding, Rey turned and ran down the street. Ben watching her until she disappeared down another of the narrow alleyways. Part of him was pleased she had gone; it was becoming more and more difficult to maintain the fiction that he had built up around himself. That he was calm and in control. There were so many things he had wanted to tell her, but he could see now that she would not receive them positively. In her current frame of mind, she seemed to veer wildly between hatred and compassion, but mostly hatred. It was to be expected, it was no more than he deserved.  
It was not long before he saw a ship rising in the distance, above the buildings. It was a TIE but he instinctively knew it was Rey. He watched as it streaked towards the blockade, his face impassive but inside his emotions were all over the place. He felt the urge to destroy something, to give into the pain that Rey’s rejection had caused him. To magnify it and make it worse. Just as Snoke had taught him. He tried to shake it off, to ignore it, but he was in its grip and he knew he could not rest until he had satisfied the urge. Pulling out his lightsaber, he took out his frustration on a nearby lamp-post, hitting and beating the metal until it was horribly bent and twisted out of shape, shouting and cursing as his rage and anger boiled over. How dare she! She had given him hope, hope that she cared for him. But just like his family, she had turned away from him when he needed her the most. Panting heavily, his anger spent, Ben fell to his knees, the lamp-post nothing more than a pool of molten metal, fizzing and cooling in the snow. The urge had gone, it was over, leaving him empty. As it always did.  
Pulling himself together, he stood up, relieved to see that no one had witnessed his breakdown. Walking quickly, he eventually caught up with General Hux and Admiral Griss, who had come down from the Steadfast to oversee the First Order’s response to the uprising and check the situation on the ground. They were waiting for him by the command ship and he went over to join them.  
‘Ah, there you are,’ said Hux briskly, ‘no one seemed to know where you’d gone.’  
‘Have you captured the scavenger yet?’ Kylo asked, just about managing to keep his emotions in check.  
‘Not yet, Supreme Leader,’ said Hux primly, ‘wherever she is hiding, we’ll soon root her out.’  
‘Keep looking. When you find her, bring her to me. In the meantime, we need to do something about that uprising.’ He desperately needed to be alone, to calm himself.  
As Kylo Ren headed over to the command ship, Hux gazed after him, confused at their leader’s erratic behaviour. ‘I wonder if this has something to do with the scavenger?’ he murmured quietly to himself.  
‘What do you mean?’ asked Griss, intrigued by his suggestion.  
Hux shrugged, ‘He seems rather obsessed with her, don’t you think?’  
‘She’s a member of the Resistance and the last of the Jedi’ replied Griss blandly, ‘It seems very simple to me why he would be interested in her.’  
‘But that’s just it,’ frowned Hux, shaking the snow from his hat. ‘He’s never managed to capture her despite all the time and effort he puts in.’ It had been on his mind again recently, trying to work out exactly the relationship was between their leader and what should have been an insignificant scavenger girl from Jakku. ‘Ever since Ren brought that girl back from Takodona, he’s been in thrall to her. He says he wants to destroy her but… I don’t know.’  
‘Go on.’ Griss was interested in Hux’s suspicions. Personally, he had never noticed anything untoward in their Leader’s attentions towards the young woman. To him, it was purely a relationship between two adversaries.  
Hux smiled wolfishly, ‘Ren’s had plenty of opportunities to kill her. But he always seems to conveniently mess up where she is involved.’  
‘The Supreme Leader has always been very solitary in his habits,’ said Griss thoughtfully, ‘perhaps he feels some kinship with her, considering their shared strength in the Force.’ But then he added more conspiratorially, ‘You do raise an interesting point. I must admit, I was surprised when he told us that a mere girl managed to murder Supreme Leader Snoke and his eight guards, and knock Kylo out, all on her own.’  
‘The idea is preposterous.’ Hux frowned. ‘That would make her more powerful than Snoke, and Ren, which I very much doubt. No, he must have been involved somehow. What went on in that throne room has always been extremely suspicious.’  
‘What are you suggesting?’ Griss frowned, it sounded like Hux did not entirely believe the claims of their Supreme Leader. ‘That he lied?’  
‘I don’t know yet,’ said Hux truthfully, shoving his hands further into the pockets of his thick, woollen coat. ‘But I mean to get to the bottom of it.’


	17. Rebellion on Naboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn, Rose and Jannah go to Naboo in their stolen ship to find the deserters from the First Order. Making their way to the city of Theed via underground tunnels, they run into two deserters who try to attack them before the two men are shot by two women, Prue and Cammie, for raping one of their friends. They go to meet Prue and Cammie's community, who have made a home for themselves in the tunnels. Prue agrees to come back to Ajan Kloss to help develop the strategy against the First Order. On the way back to the ship, Finn and his friends find themselves caught up in an attempt by the Queen of Naboo to escape from the palace, which leads to a violent crackdown by General Quinn. Kylo Ren himself comes to Naboo to clean up the mess. Meanwhile, Hux is plotting against Kylo Ren with a mysterious visitor.

The First Order shuttle flew low over the great grasslands of Naboo, heading towards the city of Theed in the distance. In the pilot’s seat, Rose checked the scanners, looking for concentrations of First Order troops. ‘Most of them are located in the city centre, as we expected,’ she said, looking over to where Finn was sat in the chair next to her. As soon as Jannah and Finn had made it back to Ajan Kloss, it had been a quick turnaround. Informing Poe about the death of Priss and the infiltration of the First Order into the shipyards, which Poe had been devastated to hear on both counts. Then, after picking Rose up and collecting some additional items for their mission to Naboo, they had set off again.  
‘Where did the informer say the squadron was located?’ Finn asked Jannah, who was sitting beside him, studying a data-pad.  
‘To the east of the city, hiding in the complex of tunnels.’ Her eyes scanned the data-pad, looking for the relevant section. ‘Here it is. One of the tunnels comes out in some river cliffs just north of the Great Grass Plains.’  
‘Then that’s where we’re headed,’ said Rose pragmatically, ‘what are the co-ordinates?’  
Whilst Jannah helped Rose, Finn looked out over the huge expanse of grassland below them. The Solleu river meandered its way through the flat landscape, the fields broken up here and there by large clumps of woodland. Bulky, brown-skinned creatures, slow and cumbersome, grazed together in small herds, or sheltered under nearby trees. The scene was peaceful and pastoral, at odds with the reality of the planet under military occupation. Finn reflected that he had hardly seen much of the galaxy, a few planets here and there with the Resistance, even fewer when he had been part of the First Order. He wondered what it would be to travel the galaxy, never settling, experiencing as many different worlds as possible.  
‘Finn?’ Rose could see that he was miles away.  
‘Sorry,’ he smiled, giving her his full attention.  
‘We’re going to land the ship just north of here,’ she explained, beginning the landing sequence, ‘there’s a clump of trees that we can hide the ship in.’  
‘Good plan.’ They had learnt from their disaster on Canto Bight when they had left their ship on the beach in full view of local residents.  
The ship landed behind a small grove of trees bearing small, spherical fruits that Jannah said were delicious, although she was the only one brave enough to try one. Together, the three friends headed along the cliffs that bordered the river here, as it wound and twist its way through a narrow gorge, carved out over centuries. They were looking for the start of the natural caves that had been incorporated into the underground network of passageways that led from here to Naboo’s capital city. Once used in times of conflict, the passages had been pressed into use again in response to the loss of freedom initiated by the First Order’s blockade, a blockade which had ended up lasting months longer than anticipated while the High Command fought over the exact terms that should be extracted from the Royal Council of Naboo.  
‘Where did they say we would find the squadron?’ Finn asked Jannah, watching her dark curls as they blew around in the breeze.  
‘In the tunnels,’ said Jannah, following Rose along the narrow path to the side of the slow-flowing water, ‘but it’s no more precise than that.’  
‘There must be miles of tunnels,’ sighed Rose, ‘it’s like looking for a hydrospanner in a nest of gundarks.’  
‘I suppose,’ said Finn, Rose’s comment was lost on him.  
‘I just wish we had more to go on than what we’ve been given,’ added Jannah, knowing that Rose’s reservations were well founded. With Boolio gone silent, no doubt in fear of the First Order after their raid on his mining station, the Resistance had been relying more and more on Threepio’s droid network. One of his contacts on Naboo had been in touch about the squadron of deserters that were rumoured to be hiding out in the city of Theed, supposedly sheltering in the tunnels beneath it. But there was no more information than that, and Jannah hoped that they were not expending all their effort for nothing.  
‘There it is.’  
Up ahead, Rose saw the thin cleft in the rocks that indicated the beginning of the passageway. Taking her torch out of her pocket, she shone it inside to reveal a narrow corridor of rock, leading deep into the cliffs. From inside there was silence, except for the steady drip, drip, drip of water.  
Taking out their blasters, Rose went in first, followed by Jannah. The narrow entrance did not allow for more than one individual at a time. Finn, who went in last, had a final look to make sure that they weren’t being followed. Then, he plunged into the darkness behind his friends, Rose in the lead, holding the torch steady as she walked onwards into the tunnel.  
‘These passages must have been in use for hundreds of years,’ said Jannah wistfully, running her fingers along the tunnel wall, bits of stone crumbling off as she did so. That was how the tunnels had been formed; the softer rock had been eroded away by water and human activity, interspersed by layers of harder stone that remained as archways and pillars supporting the walls and ceiling of the long corridors. It got colder and damper the further they went into the mountain, water running down the walls either side of them.  
Ahead of Finn and Jannah, Rose shivered, pulling her jacket around her tighter. She felt unsettled, anxious; ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’  
‘Yeah, me too,’ agreed Jannah, thinking that her clothes were not suited to the plummeting temperatures. Part of her wished that she had kept the jumpsuit from Kuat, it had been thicker and much warmer than her current attire.  
They came to a junction. A larger passageway branched off to the right whilst a smaller, narrower path led off to the left. Checking the data-pad, Jannah suggested that they continue to the right.  
‘I think this is more likely to head into the city,’ she said confidently to the others, ‘it looks well-used compared to that smaller tunnel.’  
‘I think you’re right,’ agreed Finn, staring down the smaller tunnel. Yet, he felt something strange about the larger tunnel, a feeling of uneasiness.  
‘Are you alright?’ Jannah sensed that Finn was troubled.  
‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘it’s like you both said, I’ve got a bad feeling.’  
‘You too, huh,’ said Jannah, raising her eyebrows. ‘Then there must be trouble up ahead if we all feel it.’ As a precaution, she took out her blaster, Rose and Finn doing the same.  
They walked on for several miles, keeping as much as they could to the wider tunnels, which at least allowed them to walk together rather than in single file. It was hard going in the dark but after a while, their eyes got used to the low levels of light and they started to make out details that they might otherwise have missed. Finn, in particular, was the first to notice that every so often a particular symbol had been carved into the softer rock. It resembled a flower with a central ‘stalk’ culminating in a downwards curving flourish, two branching ‘petals’ and stylised leaves underneath. ‘Rose, Jannah, stop a minute.’ He paused for a moment to have a closer look. ‘Have you noticed this?’  
‘What’s that?’ asked Jannah, peering closer as Rose held her torch against the tunnel wall.  
‘That’s the emblem of the royal house of Naboo,’ exclaimed Rose in excitement. She had done some quick research on Naboo whilst Jannah and Finn had been on Kuat, and she recognised the symbol from her reading. ‘We must be on the right track!’  
‘One of the passageways runs right underneath the palace and into the back courtyard,’ said Jannah, her enthusiasm getting the better of her anxiety. ‘Perhaps they marked the passages to make sure no-one got lost down here?’  
‘I think you’re right,’ agreed Finn, who was still feeling jittery, vague impressions of danger coming to him through the Force. ’It’s easy enough to take a wrong turn down here.’  
‘According to our position, we should be on the city’s outskirts by now,’ said Jannah, checking the data-pad before they moved off again.  
The appearance and layout of the tunnel itself suggested that they were coming to a better-used section. It was much wider than previous ones, and drier. Along its centre, pillars had been carved out of the rock to create more space as well as to support the roof. Each pillar was topped with a decorated capital of either leaves, flowers or animals, native to the planet. Every so often a recess had been set into the wall, some leading into small chambers hewn out of the rock, possibly used for storage or as a place of refuge when needed.  
‘This is intentional,’ Jannah said, as they walked along, marvelling at the work that had gone into making the tunnels. It seemed strange to think that the city of Theed was just above their heads, shops, houses and streets. People’s lives. They wondered how many people knew these caves were down here.  
Yet, they remembered to be cautious, and Finn’s uneasiness grew the further they travelled beneath the city. It was hard to explain to the others, but it felt like there was someone else in the tunnel with them. He was just about to tell them his concerns when two men jumped out from behind one of the pillars, both brandishing blasters.  
As soon as she saw them, Rose immediately froze, whilst Jannah brought up her blaster to meet those of the two men.  
Keeping his blaster low, Finn held up his hand in a non-threatening gesture. ‘We’re not here to cause trouble,’ he said carefully, looking over at both men. They were tall, although one man was slightly stooped, possibly because of an old injury. Both were wearing black shirts and trousers, patched up with leftover bits of stormtrooper armour. Although Finn should have been excited to make contact with the two apparent deserters, he didn’t like the look of them one bit. The Force was electric around him, warning him of danger and he knew that he needed to listen to it.  
‘Who are you?’ It was the taller man who spoke first. He had dirty blonde hair, hanging down to his shoulders. Although he was handsome, with smooth skin and regular features, his blue eyes were cold and hard.  
‘We’re with the Resistance,’ Finn said, keeping his hands where they could be seen. Glancing over at Jannah, who was making her own quiet assessment of the two men, he continued ‘We’re looking for some stormtroopers who have left the First Order.’  
‘Deserters?’ asked the second of the two men. Brown hair was swept back from a face that was scarred and rough, and there was a large, prominent bruise on his cheek. He looked over at his companion and grinned. ‘We might know of some. What do you want with them?’  
‘We want them to join our fight against the First Order,’ said Jannah warily, ‘or help us in any way that they can. Information, resources, that kind of thing.’  
‘But what if they don’t want to fight,’ the taller man pointed out, keeping his blaster trained on them. ‘What if they left the First Order for that very reason?’  
‘That’s fair enough,’ agreed Finn readily, ‘we’re not expecting everyone to want to fight with us. As Jannah said, there are other ways to help us.’  
‘And we can help them in return,’ said Rose, trying to stop her hands from trembling. Like Finn and Jannah, she was unsure about the two men. They seemed different to what she had expected. Unlike Jannah and her community, who had been friendly and willing to listen to their story, these two men seemed the opposite. Unfriendly and openly hostile.  
The two men looked at each other.  
‘What d’you think?’ asked the taller one.  
‘I think they should come with us,’ said the second one, motioning for the three of them to follow him. ‘Come on, it’s not far.’  
As they walked along the tunnel, Rose asked the men if they had names.  
‘I’m Chad,’ said the man with blonde hair, ‘he’s Kayden.’  
‘What ship were you assigned to?’ asked Jannah, wondering if the two men were only hostile because they had not met anyone else who had deserted from the First Order before.  
‘The Incinerator,’ said the shorter of the two men, ‘you know it?’  
‘Star Destroyer, Resurgent-class,’ said Jannah automatically, then she laughed, aware that she was merely parroting her training. ‘I was a stormtrooper once, like you.’  
‘Where were you assigned?’ Chad seemed the more open of the two men.  
‘I was based on Coruscant,’ explained Jannah conversationally, ‘Finn here was on the Supremacy.’  
‘The Supremacy, eh?’ said Kayden, pulling a face. ‘That’s top notch.’  
‘Why did you leave?’ asked Rose, who was suspicious about the men’s attitude. They didn’t seem that interested in finding out about them, unlike Jannah had been. ‘We hear that it’s hard to break the programming.’  
‘We just got bored,’ said Chad dismissively, clearly not wanting to go into details. ‘They stationed us here. There wasn’t much to do. So we just left one day, and hid down here.’  
‘Are there many more of you?’  
‘No, just us two.’ Immediately, Chad knew that he had made a mistake, and he tried to cover it up, ‘The rest of us are not far now, we’ve made a home down here.’  
Looking at Finn and Rose in concern, Jannah knew that their story did not ring true. ‘How many more of you are there?’  
‘Enough of us.’ Kayden suddenly smiled at Jannah, ‘So, what about you, sweetheart? Got a boyfriend?’  
‘None of your business,’ snapped Jannah, starting to feel more and more unsettled. She was certain that finding these men had been a mistake, but she wasn’t sure how she could communicate that to Rose and Finn.  
Protectively, Finn moved closer to Rose and Jannah. That feeling of danger was affecting him again, swirling around him in the Force.  
Without warning, Kayden grabbed Jannah’s arm, knocking her blaster out of her hand and pulling her close to him. ‘I think I want to make it my business.’  
His horrid, warm breath swept over her, and she struggled in his grasp. ‘Get off me!’  
‘Leave her alone,’ shouted Finn, but in the next moment, Chad's blaster was pointing into his face.  
‘I wouldn’t do that,’ he said scornfully, his finger on the trigger. He motioned for Finn to drop his weapon.  
‘And I wouldn’t do that,’ suggested Rose, who was stood behind Chad. With all her might, she slammed her blaster hard into his back, forcing him to drop his weapon onto the floor.  
Seeing his chance, Finn punched him hard in the face, sending him down onto the floor, clutching at his nose.  
‘Bastard!’  
There was a scuffle as Chad recovered and tried to attack Finn, but by now, Finn had the upper hand and soon had him under control.  
‘Help!’  
Whilst Finn and Rose were fighting with Chad, Kayden was dragging Jannah away into the tunnels. Angrily, she kicked him at him, trying to escape his clutches, but to no avail. He was strong, and determined to get her away from her friends.  
Jamming his pistol into her head, Kayden said nastily, ’Quit struggling or these pretty brains of yours will be all over the floor.’  
‘Jannah!’ Finn raced after her, leaving Rose to deal with Chad. He had been on the floor, nursing his bloody nose, but as soon as Finn ran after Jannah, he leapt up, and made to grab her blaster.  
‘You stay there!’ said Rose, pointing her weapon at his chest, but the ex-stormtrooper only grinned disarmingly.  
‘It’s alright,’ Chad said holding up his hands. ‘I won’t hurt you.’  
‘Where have I heard that before?’ frowned Rose, not trusting him, but she relaxed her guard enough for Chad to take her by surprise. He pushed her hard, sending her spiralling into the wall of the tunnel, before turning and chasing after Finn.  
‘Finn!’ Rose yelled, gasping and clutching at her side where she had hit the wall, ‘You’ve got company!’ Groaning in pain, she sank to the ground.  
Further down the tunnel, Finn had caught up with Jannah and her captor, only to find that she had finally got free and was holding her own against him. As Finn came running towards her, she kicked Kayden hard in the shins, causing him to swear loudly. Angrily, he came at her again but Finn distracted him. ‘Hey, buddy!’  
Kayden span round, surprised to see Finn had caught up with him. Quickly, he put his hands into the air. ‘Look, mate…’  
‘Don’t even move,’ growled Finn angrily, fed up with the two men’s deception. He held his blaster steadily at the man’s chest. ‘Now tell me who you really are.’  
‘We’re ex-First Order. As we told you.’ With Finn and Jannah stood facing him, they hadn’t noticed that Chad was sneaking up quietly behind them. He only had to stall them a little bit more and Chad would be in reach. ‘We’ve been hiding down here…’  
But before he could finish, several laser blasts slammed into his back, killing him instantly. Behind Finn, Chad crumpled to the ground, blood welling up on his forehead where a second round of laser blasts had got him.  
‘What the hell?’ Finn looked around in confusion, trying to see who had pulled the trigger.  
‘I can’t see anyone.’ Jannah clutched her blaster, feeling exposed, uncertain if the newcomers were on their side or represented yet another hostile faction living down in the tunnels.  
As they watched, two young women appeared from one of the side tunnels. They were both dressed in dirty green jumpsuits, patched up with different coloured fabrics. Colourful scarfs were tied around their necks, and they were both carrying First Order-issue weapons.  
‘More deserters,’ said Jannah to Finn quietly. ‘I hope these are the real ones.’  
The two women ran over, stopping just in front of Jannah and Finn. They looked at them both with genuine concern. ‘Are you okay?’  
Finn nodded gratefully, feeling that he could trust them. The sense of menace that he had felt through the Force had disappeared, now that the two men were dead. ‘Thanks to you.’  
‘No worries.’ The woman in the pink scarf kicked the prone body of the taller man, Chad. ‘We were hunting these two. Been looking for them for weeks now.’  
‘Why?’  
‘They’re wanted for rape and assault,’ replied the second woman, who wore a light blue scarf around her neck.  
‘You?’ asked Jannah softly.  
‘No, our friends,’ replied the young woman. She looked down on both of the men, a strange look on her face. ‘I know it’s not right but… it’s satisfying to finally get rid of this scum.’  
‘They told us that they were deserters,’ said Finn, putting his blaster back into his belt. ‘From the First Order.’  
‘Yes, they are,’ confirmed the woman in the blue scarf; she had short cropped curls, dark skin and beautiful, almond-shaped eyes. ‘Like we are. They were part of our group at first but they didn’t want anything to do with us. They wanted to use their freedom selfishly. To help themselves. No-one else.’  
‘What are you two doing down here?’ asked the first woman, putting her blaster back into her belt. Like her friend, she had short hair, closely cropped, but there the similarities ended. Her skin was lighter, and her eyes were blue.  
‘We’re looking for some deserters,’ said Finn.  
‘Looks like you found us,’ said the woman in the blue scarf. ’Why’s that? Are you deserters too?’  
‘Yes, we both are.’  
‘Although we left at different times,’ said Jannah, smiling at Finn, ‘we found each other.’  
‘You did?’ The two women looked excitedly at each other. ‘We thought we were the only ones!’  
‘No,’ said Jannah, ‘there’s more of us. I’m Jannah by the way, and this is Finn. We’re with the Resistance now.’  
The two women looked at each other, sharing a sense of relief and eagerness. Feeling less alone than before.  
‘Nice to meet you, Finn and Jannah,’ said the woman in the pink scarf, ‘I’m Cammie.’  
‘And I’m Prue.’ Cautiously, Prue checked around the tunnel, ‘We better go, before someone ties us to these bodies.’  
‘You’re not the only ones down here?’ asked Jannah in surprise as Prue and Cammie started to pick up the body that had once been Chad.  
‘No there’s others,’ replied Prue, helping her friend to move both of the bodies closer to the side of the tunnel. ‘Mostly criminals, smugglers, people like that. People we don’t want to have anything to do with.’  
‘Don’t we need to hide them a bit better?’ asked Finn, referring to the bodies.  
‘No need,’ said Cammie grimly, ‘there’s plenty of carrion eaters down here that will make light work of these.’  
‘Urgh,’ Finn looked about him in alarm.  
‘It’s alright, most of them come out at night,’ smiled Prue, seeing his expression. ‘Anyway, our community’s not far from here. Are you coming?’  
‘Wait a minute,’ said Jannah with a sudden realisation that one of their group was missing, ‘where’s Rose gone?’  
‘Back there!’  
‘I hope she’s okay,’ Jannah looked back down the tunnel fretfully.  
Leaving Jannah with Cammie and Prue, Finn raced anxiously back to where he had last seen Rose. He found her sitting at the side of the tunnel, nursing a large cut on her arm, sustained in the struggle with the ex-stormtrooper. She had ripped some of the bottom of her jacket off to wrap around it, trying to staunch the flow of blood, but she was struggling to secure it.  
‘Rose!’ Sighing with relief, he came over and crouched down beside her. ‘You’re okay!’  
‘Yes, where have you and Jannah been?’  
‘Here let me help you.’ Carefully, he took over and helped to wrap the rest of the bandage around her arm, then tied the ends of the makeshift bandage together. ‘Me and Jannah are fine. Are you okay?’  
‘I think so.’ Gingerly, Rose got to her feet, helped by Finn. ‘What happened to those two men?’  
‘They’re dead…’  
‘What?’ Rose was horrified.  
‘It’s okay,’ said Finn, encouraging her to come with him back down the tunnel. ’We’ve found two more of the deserters. And these ones are friendly.’  
‘Good,’ said Rose. As she walked, her leg started to hurt from where she had fallen and she struggled to keep up with Finn’s fast pace. In his eagerness to get back to Jannah and the newcomers, he had forgotten that Rose had sustained a serious fall.  
‘Well, they found us really,’ Finn went on, seeing that she was having difficulty and slowing down to match her speed. ‘You’re not okay, are you?’  
Rose shook her head, ‘Everything hurts.’  
‘Here.’ Getting Rose to stand still, Finn encouraged her to grab onto him and he lifted her up into his arms. ‘Okay?’  
‘Are you sure about this?’ Rose tried not to laugh as Finn set off down the tunnel, carrying her; she held onto him tightly as she bumped up and down with his movements.  
‘Of course,’ said Finn, ‘you’re as light as a feather!’ As he walked, he told her all about Prue and Cammie. ‘I’m sure they’ll have something to help you,’ he said reassuringly as they came to where Jannah was talking animatedly with the two women.  
‘Rose, are you okay?’ asked Jannah ion alarm as soon as she saw that Finn was carrying Rose.  
‘I’m just a bit sore, I think.’ As Finn came to a halt, Rose slid to the ground, testing out her leg gingerly. ‘That nice guy pushed me over.’  
‘We can get that seen to,’ said Cammie, also noticing that Rose had a makeshift bandage around her arm. ‘We’ve got medical supplies back at our camp.’  
‘This is Cammie and Prue,’ explained Finn, for Rose’s benefit.  
‘Are you an ex-stormtrooper too?’ asked Cammie, smiling warmly.  
‘No, no,’ said Rose, ‘I’m just an engineer.’  
‘Just an engineer! You’re far more than that,’ said Finn, putting his arm around her. ‘Rose is also a computer genius,’ he told Cammie and Prue, ‘and the glue that holds us all together. She’s integral to helping us reach out to more stormtroopers.’  
‘I like you already,’ said Cammie, also offering her arm to Rose. ‘Is this all of you now?’  
‘Pretty much,’ said Jannah, checking around out of habit, before they moved off. She still felt shaken that the two men had chosen to use their freedom to attack and hurt others just like them. It reminded her sharply that not everyone who was part of the First Order would have good intentions upon leaving. Just like the rest of the galaxy’s huge community, there would be good and bad individuals, and plenty more whose motives were much more mixed. It was an issue that they would have to be more aware of when they considered their strategy for convincing others to turn against the First Order. They had to be prepared for the event that some stormtroopers would not want to turn, and that some would want to actively harm anyone who tried to tell them that the First Order had exploited them.  
As they made their way through the tunnels, Cammie and Prue told them about how they had come to leave the First Order and set up their own community.  
‘We’d been stationed on Naboo for months,’ Prue explained, walking alongside Jannah and Finn. ‘There was an uprising, I think led by the Gungans…’  
‘They live in big cities under the water,’ added Cammie, helpfully.  
‘Kylo Ren defeated them and decided that Naboo needed to be put under blockade. We were tasked with protecting the palace. For some reason they stopped giving us the regular re-programming sessions, we don’t know why. Perhaps it wasn’t possible? But anyway, the more time dragged on, the more we started to question what we were doing here and why.’  
‘I mean, most of the people on Naboo are peaceful,’ said Cammie, picking up the story. ‘They didn’t riot, or complain about the blockade. We didn’t know why we had to be here, guarding the palace, day in and day out.’  
‘No one had come to see us for ages,’ said Prue, ‘Kylo Ren left General Quinn in charge of the blockade, but he only came down once to reassure us that our presence here was needed. Apart from that we were pretty much left up to our own devices.’  
The only conclusion we’ve come to is that our training started to break down,’ Cammie explained, ‘we had more and more questions, which couldn’t be answered. When we thought about who we were and what we wanted from life, we didn’t know. No one knew.’  
‘None of us felt particularly loyal to the First Order,’ went on Prue. ‘If you ask me what it is and what it stands for, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t even know who most of the senior officers are now, except for Kylo Ren and General Quinn. They are the only two who have ever been here.’  
Jannah nodded, ‘It sounds similar to me and my friends on Coruscant. We didn’t know why we were fighting or what we were fighting for.’  
‘The same. We only knew that we didn’t want to do it anymore,’ agreed Prue. ‘The last straw came when there were rumours of another uprising, this time in Theed. We were sent in and… oh, here we are.’  
They had reached a set of wooden doors, built into the side of the tunnel. Opening up the doors, Cammie ushered them inside, whilst Prue made sure that no one had seen them enter. Behind the doors, was short corridor, emerging into a large, natural cave. The floor of the cave was entirely covered with tents made from a variety of different materials, arranged in a semi-circle around a central seating area. Coloured flags hung from the walls, next to hand prints and other naive attempts at art. Natural vents in the roof kept the air circulating freely and, although it was warm, it was not at all stuffy.  
Walking into the centre of the cave, Cammie called out, ‘Everyone! Group meeting!’  
As Finn, Rose and Jannah watched, members of the community started to emerge from their tents. There were equal numbers of men and women, all of them young and aged between eighteen and twenty-five. They were dressed in a variety of different clothing, some in jumpsuits like Cammie and Prue, others in adapted First Order uniforms. Most of the men had beards, the women displaying an array of different hairstyles from short to long. All of them crowded curiously around the newcomers, eager to find out who they were and why they had come to visit them.  
Whilst they waited for the group to gather together, Prue checked over Rose’s arm and suggested that she replace the bandage. Already the makeshift piece of cloth was stained with blood. Agreeing readily, Prue took Rose over to where they kept their medical supplies, neatly stacked in a natural recess at the side of the cave. There, Rose sat patiently whilst Prue removed the cloth, cleaned her wound and applied a bacta patch that would help speed up the recovery. When she had finished, Rose smiled gratefully, ‘Thank you.’  
‘No trouble,’ replied Prue, tidying the medical supplies away. ‘I’m glad I can help.’  
In the meantime, the community had gathered in the centre of the space, sat down to face Cammie, with Finn and Jannah next to her. When Prue returned with Rose, they took a seat with them.  
‘This is Finn, Jannah and Rose,’ said Cammie once the excited chatter had calmed down. It was obvious that she was the leader of the group, and everyone looked to her expectantly. ‘They’ve come from the Resistance. To help us.’  
An excited murmur ran through the group. Most of their community had been living on their wits, subsisting on what they could obtain from the city above whilst trying to avoid the inevitable run-ins with their former colleagues. In the First Order, desertion was punishable, in the most extreme circumstances, by death, and the threat of detection hung over them like a constant shadow. The idea that someone had come to support them was a huge relief to many.  
‘Finn and Jannah are stormtroopers from different units who have broken their programming,’ Cammie went on, ‘Rose is an engineer who is tasked with helping them to reach out to others just like us.  
With Cammie’s encouragement, Finn told the group about their background. ‘I don’t know what you know about the Resistance, but I imagine it’s not positive. It’s a small military operation, that was set up by General Leia Organa to stop the rise of the First Order when it first threatened to bring down the Republic. The rightful government. When Hosian Prime was destroyed by Starkiller, the Resistance was the only thing left between the First Order and complete dominance of the galaxy. Despite its attempts to destroy us, we survived.’  
‘We have to defeat the First Order,’ said Rose, taking over from Finn. ‘They’ll stop at nothing to bring the galaxy under their control, exploiting planets to build their fleets and maintain their armies. They rule through force and fear, not through allowing people the freedom to make their own decisions.’  
‘What we want is nothing less than to defeat the First Order and restore the Republic. So that people have a say in how their planets are run, not working to fulfil the desires of the First Order leaders,’ went on Finn, hoping that he was making their aims clear. ‘So how can we help you? We’ve not come here to ask you to fight for us, unless you want to,’ he made clear from the beginning, remembering their experience on Coruscant. ‘But we are asking for your help in return for ours. We need your help so that we can start a revolution, so we can get as many stormtroopers as possible to rise up against their oppressors. It’s the only way we can stop the First Order, and win the war.’  
‘But how can we help?’ asked one of the men, looking at Cammie and Prue in confusion. ‘We don’t have anything to offer.’  
‘But you do,’ insisted Rose. ‘You know what helped you to turn your backs on the First Order. It might help us to turn others. All of you, including Jannah and Finn, left because you questioned what the First Order wanted you to do. But not all stormtroopers will have that revelation. How can we help them to see what they are doing is wrong? How can we make them see that they are supporting a regime that doesn’t care about them?’  
‘We don’t know who we are, where we come from,’ said the man who had spoken, whose name was Graven. There were murmurs of agreement through the crowd. ‘There’s probably lots of us who don’t even realise that until our programming starts to break down.’  
‘That’s right,’ said Finn, ‘we like to think of ourselves as the Lost Children.’  
‘That’s a lovely way to put it,’ said Prue, who had not thought of herself in that way before. ‘We are all lost children.’  
‘You can thank Jannah for that,’ said Finn, smiling at his friend. It was evidently a phrase that would inspire others judging by the Naboo community’s positive reaction.  
‘Is there any way we can find out where we come from?’ Cammie asked Finn, thinking that having such information would be a real asset for the Resistance. ‘Do the First Order keep archives with that information?’  
‘We’re trying to find that out,’ said Finn, turning to her. ‘We’ve recently been in contact with an informer that seems to be high-up in the First Order. We’re hoping that they can help us access the information we need.’ It was the same informer that Booilo had been in contact with; whoever it was had contacted them directly through another source linked to Threepio’s droid network, considering that the flow of information from Boolio had stopped for the moment. Understandably, Poe had been cautious, especially considering that the informer had a good grasp of the Resistance’s intelligence network. But he had opened negotiations with them to see what they wanted to offer, and what they expected in return, just in case there was any benefit to it. Including, as Finn, Jannah and Rose hoped, access to what they believed would be an extensive archive on the origins of the First Order troops.  
‘Really?’ Cammie was intrigued, ‘Do you know who it is?’  
‘No,’ admitted Jannah, ‘but they have access to high level information which makes us think it could be someone in the High Command.’  
‘Really?’ Prue frowned, looking at Cammie, ‘They’d never betray the First Order, they’re too invested in it.’  
‘Maybe, but whoever it is clearly wants to undermine the First Order from inside,’ said Rose, ‘it’s got to count for something.’  
Returning to the main theme of the discussion, Cammie encouraged her community to decide what to do with the information they had been given. As they talked amongst themselves, it became clear that their response to Finn’s plea for help was very similar to the response of Jannah’s community; most of them were keen to help the Resistance in any way that they could, whilst a minority wanted to be left alone, to enjoy their freedom. After calling for a quick vote, Cammie confirmed that, in general, the community was willing to help the Resistance in any way that they could.  
‘One of us will go with you to be a voice for our community,’ she said, as the group dispersed to prepare for their evening meal, ‘the rest of us will stay here, on Naboo, doing whatever we can to help. Whether that’s thinking about effective propaganda, actively looking for more deserters… it’s up to you.’  
Whilst Finn discussed with Cammie how the community might help them, Rose and Jannah went around the rest of the group, collecting ideas from them about how the Resistance could inspire other stormtroopers to turn their backs on the First Order. Rose patiently recorded all of their conversations on her data-pad, and by the time they had finished, the meal was almost ready and Cammie asked if they would like to stay and share it with them. Knowing it would be a long journey back to Ajan Kloss, Finn, Rose and Jannah said that they would love to stay. Cammie found them some cushions to sit on and they joined the rest of the group in the space at the centre of the cave at their makeshift table.  
‘We always eat together,’ explained Prue, as various dishes were placed onto the table and people started to help themselves. ‘Like we did when we served.’  
‘We all have to pitch in,’ added Cammie, helping herself to a delicious-looking salad, ‘in fact, we’ve all had to learn how to cook. They might have taught us how to hold a blaster, but they didn’t teach us any basic life skills!’  
‘This looks amazing,’ said Jannah appreciatively, looking over to Rose. ‘The Resistance could learn a thing or two about cooking from you.’  
‘Yeah, our food is, shall we say, not the best,’ laughed Rose, helping herself to some home-made bread. ‘It’s little better than a ration bar.’  
‘Urgh, I’d be happy if I never had to see one of those things again,’ agreed Prue, handing over a bowl of salad to Finn, who took it gratefully.  
It was late by the time they had finished eating and talking, finding out more about Prue and Cammie’s time in the First Order. Prue also told them that she had volunteered to come with them back to Ajan Kloss. Cammie had tried to argue that it should be her, but as the nominal leader of their community, Prue had convinced her that she needed to stay on Naboo, where she could be the main point of contact for the Resistance. It was clearly a big wrench for Prue to leave her community, and she confessed to Rose and Jannah that it would be especially hard to leave Cammie. They had fallen in love during their time in the First Order, and had continued their relationship once they had left. Yet, Prue felt that helping the Resistance was more important at that time than fulfilling her own needs; she wanted to join their cause and, unlike at any previous point in her life, she needed a higher purpose to give her life meaning.  
‘I feel so empty,’ she explained to Jannah in a quiet moment, ‘I don’t know what I believe or how I want things to be.’ It was something the community had often talked about, what they wanted out of life, and how they envisaged what a ‘good life’ might be if they ever had the chance to come out of hiding.  
‘I know how you feel,’ agreed Jannah, thinking that Prue would fit in well with the rest of the Resistance team. She was clearly thoughtful and caring about others. ‘We’ve been thinking about it a lot, what we would do if we manage to defeat the First Order. What kind of a government we need, that sort of thing. That’s all the Resistance wants,’ she told her, much to Prue’s surprise and pleasure. ‘To make the galaxy a better place.'  
Although they were keen to get back to Ajan Kloss, Finn agreed with Rose and Jannah that they would stay overnight on Naboo, mainly so that Prue could spend a last night with her friends and loved ones. Although she was happy to leave straight away with them, Rose managed to convince her that it would be better to stay one more night otherwise leaving her community might be much more of a wrench.  
‘We’ll leave at first light,’ Finn told Cammie as they relaxed after dinner. Some of the community got out instruments they had made with various bits of wood and string, striking up a rudimentary tune that had encouraged some of the community, including Rose and Jannah, to start an impromptu dance. They whirled around with each other as the music filled the cave, others clapping along in time with the music.  
Although they had come via the tunnels, Cammie suggested that they might want to go back through the city of Theed itself. ‘It’ll give you an idea of how many troops are stationed and where they’ve been concentrated,’ she said, tapping her foot along with the music. ‘The key positions that you will need to secure in order to take the city.’  
‘Hmm.’ Finn thought about it for a moment. ‘That’s not a bad idea, but are you sure it’s safe?’  
‘We’ve been studying the patrols for months now,’ explained Cammie, ‘we’ve got loads of data and its pretty predictable. Prue will be able to help you avoid them.’  
‘Great. It would be good to know what we’re up against.’ It would be something concrete that they could tell Poe when it came to planning their future strategy.  
They spent a pleasant evening with the group, sitting around the fire and listening to their stories of life on Naboo, and how they had avoided being caught by the First Order. Like on Coruscant, the ex-troopers had made a life for themselves through their own efforts; existing under the radar, scavenging and hunting in the city for resources and food, learning new skills, recycling and re-using whatever they could find. It made them realise how resourceful they could be away from the First Order, which had pretty much run their lives for them.  
‘It’s like we’re learning how to be human again,’ Prue remarked, which Finn and Jannah immediately agreed with.  
It had helped that aside from the First Order blockade, Naboo was a peaceful planet. Apart from having to avoid the ever-present patrols, most of the humans in Theed had been helpful to their cause, and there had been no attempt to betray them to the First Order, as Jannah’s community had faced on Coruscant.  
‘Those pieces of shit you met in the tunnel are the only problem we’ve faced, really,’ said Prue to Finn. ‘There are other criminals down here but they keep to themselves mostly.’  
‘Same with the Gungans,’ added Cammie, ‘they’ve pretty much disappeared since their uprising failed.’  
‘You said that they live in cities below the water,’ said Finn, ‘are there a substantial number of them?’  
‘They can be a formidable force,’ nodded Cammie, ‘their army helped to defeat the Trade Federation years ago, the last time that Naboo was under occupation. But the First Order is too strong for them, and the humans here don’t even have an army. There’s only the Queen’s security team that guards the palace.’  
That was interesting information, and Finn knew that they were going to have to do lots more research to understand the contexts into which they were infiltrating. ‘Do you think the Gungans would ally themselves with the Resistance?’  
‘I don’t see why not,’ pondered Prue, looking across at Cammie. ‘They hate the First Order as much as we do.’  
‘We’ll put out some feelers,’ Cammie suggested, ‘find out how to contact them.’  
That night, Cammie found the three of them a tent to share and they quickly bedded down with the rest of the community. Although the beds were basic, they were comfortable and Finn found he slept better here than he did on Ajan Kloss. The jungle was always alive with noise, even in the depth of the night, but here, ensconced in the cave, it was peaceful and quiet, except for the occasional heavy snorer. They all slept soundly for the first time in ages.  
‘Where’s your ship?’ asked Prue, early next morning as they ate their breakfast of cereal and fruit, accompanied by a glass of local milk. Most of the community were still in bed.  
‘It’s parked in some woods at the edge of massive grasslands,’ said Rose, chewing her cereal.  
‘Next to a river,’ added Finn, helpfully.  
‘Outside the city?’ Prue looked puzzled.  
‘Sure.’ Rose frowned, ‘Is that bad?’  
‘No, it’s just a lot further than I thought,’ admitted Prue, realising her assumption that they had left their ship somewhere in the city was misguided in hindsight. ‘You must have walked miles through the tunnels.’  
‘It felt like it,’ remarked Finn, slurping down his tea. ‘But we’ve made mistakes in the past with leaving our ship in obvious places.’  
Intrigued, Prue was about to ask what happened, when Cammie came over, looking stressed.  
‘I’d get going if I were you,’ she said to them, holding out her hand to Prue. ‘Something’s going on at the palace. Gorky was on watch last night and he saw people up at odd times, security guards in odd places. It doesn’t sit right.’  
‘Thanks for the heads up.’ Finn looked at Rose and Jannah, ‘You two ready to go?’  
‘Nearly,’ said Rose, quickly finishing off her cereal. ‘Now I am.’  
Drinking the rest of her tea, Jannah nodded, ‘Me too.’  
Whilst Jannah, Finn and Rose went to collect their belongings together, Cammie and Prue had a touching goodbye. They had trained together in the same First Order squadron, and had barely been apart since they had first met as children. Tenderly, Cammie touched Prue’s hair, her cheek, gazing at her as if she was trying to remember everything about her in tiny detail so she would not forget. ‘Keep safe.’  
‘You too.’ Tears glistened in Prue’s eyes. ‘I’ll miss you, Camms.’  
They embraced each other tightly, not wanting to let go of each other. ‘I love you.’  
‘I love you too.’ Pulling back, Prue kissed Cammie passionately, hoping that it would not be the last time that they saw each other.  
Over by the tents, Finn looked away, not sure what he felt about the open display of emotion between the two women.  
Thinking he was embarrassed, Rose frowned at him. ‘What’s the matter?’  
‘I don’t know,’ said Finn, finding it hard to put his feelings into words. ‘I just wish… I had that with someone.’ With a particular someone.  
Whilst her own feelings for Finn were unrequited, Rose nonetheless took his arm. ‘You will, one day.’ She half wondered if he was in love with Rey, even though both of them had denied it, but then she remembered those long, yearning looks in Poe’s direction that her and Jannah had noticed. Perhaps it was Poe he was longing for. She was just about ask him, when Jannah came over.  
‘You two, okay?’ Jannah was ready to go, and was surprised to find her two friends looking somewhat miserable.  
‘Yeah, we’re fine,’ said Finn, pulling himself together. ‘We were just looking at those two.’ He gestured over to where Prue and Cammie were still locked together in a tight embrace.  
‘Ah, sweet.’ Jannah looked over at the two women dispassionately, not having yet experienced the thrill of attraction to someone else. She was much more interested in helping others to find happiness. ‘Prue was saying that they trained together. Something good can come out of the First Order, eh?’  
Having said goodbye to Cammie and her other friends, Prue came over, ready to begin the long walk back to the ship. She felt daunted knowing that she was the only member of the community who had been willing to leave, but she knew that the hopes of the Resistance were riding on sacrifices such as hers. It made her feel good to think that she would be a point of communication between the Resistance and those remaining on Naboo. ‘Sorry to hold you up,’ she said quietly, still feeling fragile. She didn’t dare look back over to Cammie, knowing it would make it even harder to leave.  
‘It’s okay,’ said Jannah, offering her a hand to hold if she needed one, ‘I know how hard this is for you. I had to leave my community back on Coruscant.’  
‘Thank you,’ Prue took Jannah’s hand gratefully. ‘We’ll head out the back way. This’ll take us into the city itself.’  
Following Prue’s lead, they went over to a second entrance that was hidden behind the makeshift kitchen area. Pushing open a set of wooden doors, they entered into a narrow but dry tunnel that wound its way beneath the city until they reached a small grill in the tunnel’s ceiling, reached by a set of metal steps. Telling the others to wait there, Prue checked the time and climbed up the steps, pushing open the grill when she saw that the coast was clear. Climbing out, she motioned for the others to follow her, and they climbed up and out of the tunnel, emerging into the hazy morning sunlight of a quiet back street. Like the rest of Theed, the buildings were formed of local stone, a soft yellow that was pleasing to the eye, many with traditional domed roofs. One of the more ancient parts of the city, the shops here all had large windows, with fancy metalwork signs spelling out the types of goods that were available to buy inside.  
‘We have to be quick,’ Prue warned them, knowing that there would be a patrol coming around soon.  
Keeping close to the buildings, they ran past the closed shops and businesses, their frontages protected behind metal shutters. Because it was so early, there were very few people out on the street, although some of the cafes were starting to open.  
At the end of the next street, Prue paused, looking out over the central plaza towards a large, circular building that was built on the edge of the great plateau upon which the city was located. Statues framed the entrance, that was decorated with intricate mosaic-work. ‘That’s the palace, just over there,’ she said to her three companions. ‘Behind it, is the waterfall, which makes it difficult to patrol from that side. All forces are concentrated towards the front.’  
‘It’s beautiful,’ said Rose, who was fixed on the palace, admiring its design. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, most of the buildings on Hays Minor had been practical and industrial.  
‘It would be more beautiful without all those troops and war machines in front of it,’ murmured Finn.  
Peering past Prue, Rose could see what Finn was referring to. Several squadrons of stormtroopers were patrolling the plaza, with several AT-M6s guarding its fringes. ‘We’ll never get past all those!’ she stammered, suddenly feeling anxious.  
‘Keep to the buildings and we should be okay,’ said Prue, taking a deep breath to calm her own anxiety. ‘We’ve been in and out before, although we’ve never got close to the palace.’  
‘We’ll be right behind you,’ said Jannah, making sure that she had her blaster in her hand.  
Making her way slowly into the plaza, Prue kept close to the buildings as she went, at the same time watching the movements of the troops in the plaza carefully. Keeping to doorways, Jannah and her friends followed Prue quickly, also keeping a close eye on activity around the Palace. Rose saw there was a squadron of First Order stormtroopers guarding the entrance, whilst another patrol was heading off down one of the nearby streets. Looking up, Finn could see the blockade in the sky, a ring of Star Destroyers that were locked into the planet’s orbit. It seemed over-the-top in the otherwise peaceful city. Especially now that they knew Naboo had no real army of its own.  
‘This way! Quick!’  
Suggesting that they follow her, Prue ran over to shelter within a large, recessed doorway.  
Finn was about to enquire about what was going on, when another patrol came marching into the plaza from the east side of the city.  
Leaning over to Jannah, Prue whispered, ‘That’s the last patrol for a couple of hours. We should be safe to move once they’ve gone.’  
Beside them, Finn watched the plaza fixedly. All his senses were tingling, just like they had in the tunnels before they met the two arrogant deserters. Like then, it made him feel as if something was going to happen, similar to the feeling he got when there was about to be a rainstorm. There was a sense that pressure was building up, pressure that would eventually need release.  
Next to him, Rose noticed that he was looking tense. ‘What is it?’  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Finn, feeling helpless to explain. The Force was sending him vague impressions, nothing concrete. ‘I think something is about to happen. But I don’t know what.’  
After her experiences with Rey, Rose took him seriously. ‘What do we do?’  
‘Just wait for now,’ he said, glancing over to Jannah and Prue, who were also closely watching the palace, waiting for the patrol to finish its inspection. ‘Perhaps there will be another clue soon.’  
As the patrol disappeared down one of the side streets leading away from the palace, Rose grabbed Finn’s arm and pointed at the palace. Something was happening just inside the entrance. People were gathering.  
Across from him inside the doorway, Prue gave the signal to move on but Finn shook his head. ‘Look!’  
Following his gaze, Prue and Jannah could immediately see why he was urging caution. Coming out of the palace entrance was a group of security guards, their red and yellow uniforms indicating that they were loyal to the Queen of Naboo.  
‘Is that the Queen’s guards?’ Jannah asked Prue, to make doubly sure.  
‘Yes. But where are they going?’ murmured Prue to Jannah, wondering what had possessed the security team to change the conditions of their curfew. ‘They’ve been ordered to stay in the palace.’  
The stormtroopers watching the palace also thought their behaviour was unusual, and two of them left the main cohort to go over and meet with the group.  
But as soon as the security team reached the plaza, they drew out their weapons and started attacking the stormtroopers outside the palace. Surprise was on their side and the guards managed to disarm or kill most of the squad before the troops realised what was happening.  
‘What are they doing?’ frowned Finn, already more patrols were streaming into the palace square from around Theed, ‘they’re outnumbered!’  
‘Look!’ Rose pointed to where several ships were rising up into the air from behind the palace. ‘It’s a distraction!’  
‘The Queen must be trying to escape,’ realised Prue. Turning to Jannah, she said excitedly, ‘There’s been rumours for weeks that she would try to leave!’  
‘Why did she have to do it when we were here?’ complained Finn, watching events unfold in the plaza. A fierce battle erupted, as the security guards defended their position from the patrols that were streaming into the plaza. Bursts of laser were also coming from the palace, aimed at the two AT-M6s at the edge of the square, which were firing indiscriminately at the palace in return. Already, several large holes had appeared in its facade.  
‘They must have been planning this for a while,’ muttered Finn, looking across to Jannah and Prue, who were watching what was happening with great consternation. ‘What should we do?’  
‘We have to help them,’ said Rose, knowing that the Queen and her Council must have been desperate to take on the might of the First Order. Already she could see more ships were heading down from one of the Star Destroyers up above, what looked like a command shuttle accompanied by several troop carriers. ‘They’re sending in more troops!’  
‘We can’t get involved,’ said Finn realistically, although reluctantly. ‘We’re not supposed to be here!’  
‘But we can’t just sit back and watch them get slaughtered,’ argued Rose, frustrated by their lack of action.  
Prue and Jannah moved closer, unable to hear what was going on. The noise of the battle was overwhelming, drowning everything out.  
‘We need to help them,’ said Jannah, looking at Finn and Rose. ‘That’s what you’re deciding isn’t it?’  
‘I don’t know.’ Finn was conflicted. He could see that the guards needed help; they were holding their own at the moment but with reinforcements coming, he could not see how they would survive for much longer. He also wasn’t sure about firing on First Order troops, now that they were supposed to be convincing them to desert. ‘There’s only four of us,’ he pointed out, ‘and we’ve not agreed with this Poe.’  
‘But Poe would want us to help,’ said Jannah, whilst Rose nodded. ‘These are the things that rebellions are built on!’  
‘Okay,’ Finn made his decision. ‘We help. But if it gets too much, we get out of here. Immediately.’  
Taking up defensive positions to the side of the plaza, they joined in the desperate fire-fight, supporting the palace guards against the stormtroopers. Instead of shooting to kill, however, Finn, Rose, Hannah and Prue aimed for legs and arms, trying to disable their opponents instead. It was a strategy that seemed to work, and it was not long until most of the troops in the plaza had been incapacitated. Whilst Finn and Prue rounded the stormtroopers up, taking the opportunity to tell them about the First Order whilst they did so, Jannah and Rose went over to talk to the palace guards to find out what their strategy was and how the Resistance might support their attempt to take back the planet.  
Talking to the Captain of the Guards, Ruebeck, Rose and Jannah found out that the Queen was attempting to escape to the Outer Rim. ‘You say you’re from the Resistance?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘What are you doing here?’  
‘We were looking for some First Order troops that deserted,’ explained Jannah, mindful that they were now exposed in the plaza for when the reinforcements arrived.  
‘We heard about those…’ began the Captain before he was interrupted by a shout from behind them.  
‘Watch out! Reinforcements are here!’  
They would never get to find out what the Captain wanted to say. The shout had come from Finn alerting them to the arrival of three transports-worth of stormtroopers, whilst another two patrols were hurrying back down the side streets towards the plaza.  
‘We need to move!’  
Everyone scattered, heading towards the fringes of the plaza, Rose and Jannah running to join Finn and Prue, who had made some headway with the captured stormtroopers and had convinced them to either stand down or help the rebellion by the Queen’s Guards. They had been joined by several of the former stormtroopers, encouraging them to remove their helmets so their change of allegiance was obvious.  
‘This is LK-789, LK-354 and LK-523,’ said Finn, introducing the three deserters who had chosen to fight alongside them. The rest of the captured stormtroopers had been left in the plaza to await the arrival of the command shuttle, their arms and legs bound. ‘They’ve agreed to fight with us.’  
Clearly, serving planet-side made it easier to break down the conditioning. The three deserters nodded to the three rebels, as well as to Prue. ‘I know you,’ said LK-523, a young girl with bright red hair.  
‘I used to serve too,’ said Prue, smiling faintly at the newcomers. ‘I deserted just before the Gungan Rebellion.’  
‘Oh, you were part of the squad that went into hiding!’ said LK-789 excitedly. He was an older recruit, a long scar covering most of the right side of his face. ‘That gave us hope that we could get out one day too!’  
From their position, Finn could see the command ship landing at the side of the plaza. The crew of the two AT-M6s, seeing that the balance of power in the plaza had changed once more, started to pummel the palace again with heavy artillery fire, further damaging the facade and knocking down statues that had stood for centuries. The guns inside had already been silenced. What was taking place now was pure retribution.  
Reluctantly, Finn told his small team that the guards’ cause was now certainly lost. ‘They’re more than outnumbered,’ he said urgently. ‘They’ll be crushed!’  
‘What can we do?’ Jannah wanted to help but she wasn’t sure how.  
LK-354 holstered her blaster, ‘We’re ready to do whatever needs to be done.’  
‘We can help them escape,’ said Finn, thinking on his feet. ‘We can get as many of them off the planet as we can. With us. It’s the least we can do.’  
‘Good idea,’ said Jannah readily, looking across to where the small groups of guards, ranged about the plaza, were attacking the stormtroopers that were flooding in from all sides. It was futile now. There was no way they could take down the sheer amount of forces ranged against them.  
Keeping low, they ran round the side of the plaza, getting closer to where one group of security guards were hunkered down, covering themselves as best they could. Laser fire flew from all around; behind Jannah, LK-789 went down heavily, killed by a stray laser blast that was meant for someone else.  
‘How are we going to get them out of here?’ Prue wanted to know.  
‘We need to get their attention somehow,’ said Finn, who was desperately trying to come up with a suitable plan but the noise of the artillery fire was distracting him too much.  
They started waving at the guards, trying to attract their attention when Jannah noticed that the AT-M6 had stopped firing. ‘What is it doing now?’  
‘It’s changing position,’ said Rose, a feeling of dread coming over her.  
All of a sudden, a missile come flying towards them and over their heads, aimed at where the guards were positioned. Throwing himself forward, Finn pushed Rose and Jannah to the ground. They landed heavily and Finn shouted at them to cover their heads. Just ahead of them, Prue had also dropped to the ground, her head hidden beneath her hands.  
They were just in time. The missile exploded in a huge surge of heat and light, demolishing half of the buildings on the opposite side of the square and throwing the group of palace guards high into the air. Instinctively, Finn, Rose and Jannah stayed down as bits of rock, stone and hot metal rained down around them. To the side of them, LK-523 and LK-354 lay dead, hidden underneath fallen masonry.  
‘What the hell are they doing?’ yelled Jannah when she dared to open her eyes. The First Order’s response was completely disproportionate to the situation.  
‘So much for Kylo Ren’s softer approach,’ frowned Finn as they stayed low, wondering what their next move should be.  
‘Did you see that?’ asked Rose, unable to believe what had happened.  
‘Yes, and there’s more where that came from,’ said Finn, breathing heavily. ‘We have to get out of here whilst there is still a city to leave.’  
There was a loud whistling noise as another missile flew over the plaza, smashing into the front of the palace, damaging the already pulverised facade and destroying hundreds of years of history in one swoop.  
‘Now we really have to go,’ Finn breathed. ‘We’ll have to forget the rest of the guards, we can’t get to them!’ Clearly the First Order had no respect for anyone in their pursuit of domination.  
‘They’re teaching Naboo a lesson,’ said Prue angrily. ‘As if the people here didn’t hate them enough already.’  
‘Maybe this will help to spark the seeds of rebellion,’ said Jannah, crawling after Finn as they attempted to make it out of the plaza. Over on the other side, another missile was launched against the palace, bits of stone, glass and metal raining down onto the plaza as it made a direct hit.  
Fortunately the First Order’s attention was focused on re-capturing the Queen and her guards, and the four rebels managed to make it out of the plaza undetected. But it was no less terrifying in the rest of the city. It was overrun with troops as more reinforcements were sent down from the Star destroyers, supported by the ominous presence of several UA-TT walkers, stalking through the streets to root out any potential insurrectionists. But most people had already fled into their houses, frightened by the demonstration of the might of the First Order.  
As they made their way through the city, Finn and his friends kept their blasters close, ready to defend themselves. Keeping to the quieter areas of the city as far as possible. But they couldn’t avoid the continual skirmishes with First Order troops, which raised the troubling issue of whether they could convince them to turn away from their leaders. Despite the danger they were in, Finn and Jannah experimented with reaching out to some of the troops in the emptier streets, trying to talk to them, to tell them that their life under the First Order was a lie. Although it had provoked a response, it was mostly of the wrong kind, only reinforcing the stormtrooper’s determination to attack them. Even appeals to find their families and home planets met with open hostility.  
‘It’s no good,’ said Jannah, as they raced away from yet another skirmish, leaving several troops lying dead on the ground. ‘These lot have been subject to the programming on the ships up there, they’ll be harder to convince.’  
‘Then let’s give up for now,’ said Finn reluctantly. It seemed that adrenaline and bloodlust ruled most of the stormtroopers that they were encountering.  
‘We need to split up,’ suggested Prue, ’that way, we’ll be less obvious.’  
‘Okay!’ Prue opted to go with Jannah. ‘We’ll meet you at the meadows.’  
‘Rose, you’re with me,’ smiled Finn, reaching out for her hand. ‘Let’s go!’  
They went their separate ways, heading deeper into the turbulent city streets.

Meanwhile, in the plaza, the uprising was more or less over. Exiting the command ship, General Quinn surveyed the devastation with great satisfaction. Having worked on starships his entire life, his family deeply committed to the might of the Empire before the First Order, he had no time for ancient buildings or hallowed institutions such as the ones they clung to on Naboo. Like Hux, who he greatly admired, he found solace in the might of a well-resourced military and fleet, and delighted in the clean, tidy lines of a Star Destroyer. In comparison, life on the ground seemed messy and un-coordinated, difficult to control effectively. And control was what Quinn was most concerned with, the control of resources and power by the most deserved.  
He went over to where one of his officers was entering data into a small, hand-held device. ‘Well?’  
‘We’ve secured the city, General,’ said Officer Tarin briskly, snapping to attention, her face hidden behind the standard regulation helmet. ‘Most of the rebels have been killed or captured, although we have reason to believe that a few have fled to the north of the city.’  
‘Hunt them down,’ growled Quinn, annoyed that there will still traitors at large. ‘We can’t let them join up with the Resistance or those deserters down in the tunnels.’  
‘Yes, General.’  
‘Put the city on strict curfew,’ he added off-handedly, ‘and arrest anyone who is not in their homes.’  
‘Right away.’ The squadron leader returned to her data-pad, transmitting the new orders to every trooper stationed in the capital.  
As Quinn made his way back towards the command ship, another officer appeared, followed by two of the palace guards flanked by stormtroopers, their hands in binders. ‘We caught these two, Sir, trying to escape from the city.’  
‘Excellent,’ said Quinn, scowling at the two prisoners. ‘Interrogate them, find out what they know about the Queen’s insurrection. Then execute them.’  
‘Yes, Sir.’ The prisoners were immediately led away to the command ship, where they would be taken to the Invincible for processing.  
Satisfied that the city was back under his control and locked down, Quinn was heading back to the command ship, eager to report his success back to Kylo Ren, when an aide came running down the gangplank, almost tripping up in their haste to reach him. ‘General Quinn!’  
‘What is it?’ General Quinn made no attempt to stop his progress, and the aide had to fall into step beside him.  
‘The Supreme Leader demands that you make contact with him immediately,’ she said, holding out a small device towards him.  
‘I was about to,’ snapped Quinn, taking the transmitter from the young woman. Kylo Ren seemed to have an unerring sense of timing. Pressing the button, a large hologram of Kylo Ren appeared next to the ship. Immediately Quinn could feel his anger and irritation, even though their Supreme Leader was light years away in Kijimi. It was disconcerting and Quinn’s confidence began to evaporate.  
‘I have heard reports of an insurrection on Naboo,’ began Kylo quietly, menacingly. ‘That the Queen has tried to escape from the planet. But what has angered me the most is your completely disproportionate response to it!’  
‘Sir, we were responding to an attack on our troops,’ said Quinn, trying to remain composed in the face of the malevolence he felt coming from Ren. It was rolling off him in waves. ‘The Queen attempted to escape from the palace, but we managed to intercept her and some of the rebels…’  
‘With much destruction it seems,’ said the hologram, fixing him with an icy glare. ‘I am on my way to recover the situation, General Quinn.’  
The hologram disappeared, leaving Quinn apoplectic with rage. Who did the Supreme Leader think he was, to question his methods in this way? He had followed the First Order rulebook to the letter, which demanded a swift and merciless response to any insurrection. ‘What does he want me to do?’ he muttered angrily to a nearby aide, ‘congratulate the Queen for her daring plan?’  
Sensibly, the aide remained silent, seeing that Quinn needed to vent his frustrations before their Supreme Leader appeared, demanding answers.  
‘We are losing our grip on control,’ Quinn went on, warming to his theme. ‘First Coruscant, then Kijimi, now Naboo. It’s almost as if Ren wants us to lose. To weaken us so that those traitors in the Resistance can think that they have a chance of winning.’  
‘Perhaps that is his plan?’ asked the aide timidly. ‘If we cannot locate where the Resistance are hiding, surely it is better to try to draw them out? Make them attack us first?’  
Quinn thought for a moment. ‘That’s not actually a bad strategy. What is your name again?’  
‘Officer Haim, Sir.’  
‘Well Officer Haim, I hope, as you suggest, that there is some method to Ren's madness,’ said Quinn, as they made their way into the command ship to await their Leader’s arrival. ‘And if that is his plan, he’s far more intelligent than I thought.’  
‘Of course, General.’ Officer Haim already knew about Quinn’s open contempt for Kylo Ren, it was no real secret. She was only surprised that Ren seemed to tolerate it, he was well known for his incandescent rages.  
Perhaps the young woman was correct, Quinn mused, as he waited for their leader to arrive. Perhaps Ren really was allowing systems to think that they had more autonomy, to lull the Resistance into a false sense of security before he struck back, crushing all opposition once and for all. That was a leader he could get behind. But even under Snoke, Ren’s methods and approach had always been vague and obscure. Like Hux, he had no time for the mysteries of the Force, even if in the hands of someone like Ren it could be used to devastating effect. Ren had always been too volatile, too emotionally disturbed to be counted on, as if even he could not control the awesome powers he had at his disposal. And although as leader he had managed to curb most of his excesses, there was always something slightly unpredictable about him that meant Quinn had less confidence in him than a true First Order officer like Hux, who was the living embodiment of its ideology. And although they would not openly admit it, he knew that most of the High Command agreed with him.

‘Thank goodness we’re out of there.’  
Breathing heavily, Finn flopped to the ground next to the clump of trees where they had hidden the ship, exhausted. He felt like they had been running for ever. Only now, miles away from Theed, could they start to relax and recover from the horror of the situation in Naboo’s capital. He remembered the bodies lying in the wreckage of the plaza, bloody and broken. Stormtroopers everywhere, the machinery of war. Ancient buildings destroyed. The Queen most likely re-captured and punished severely by the First Order. Overwhelmed, he passed his hands over his face. What was happening right now in the capital did not bear thinking about. But also their plans for convincing stormtroopers to join their side and lay down their weapons would need to be revised. Any attempt at trying to appeal to those stormtroopers on the streets of Theed had failed miserably, only making them more determined to fight them. It pained him to think that he had shot at, and killed, several of the ‘Lost Children’ in order to save his own life and the lives of his friends. There had to be a better way.  
‘You alright?’ Lying next to him, her chest still heaving with exertion, Jannah looked across at Finn.  
‘Not really,’ he admitted, seeing flashbacks every time he closed his eyes. Of the palace guards being thrown high into the air. Of the stormtroopers he had killed. ‘I can’t stop thinking about what they did. What we did!’  
‘It’s all wrong,’ sobbed Prue, tears shining in her eyes. She lay in the grass, staring up at the perfect blue sky and wondering how the war could seem so far away whilst being so close. Out here, no one would even know that there was a war happening, it was so removed from the chaos and destruction in Theed.  
‘We couldn’t get through to any of the troops,’ groaned Rose, her arms and legs aching after being forced to keep moving for far longer than any of her limbs desired. The grass tickled her neck but she ignored it, glad to be able to rest for the time being.  
Staring up at the sky, Finn noticed something approaching, a ship moving quickly through the upper atmosphere. Heading for Theed. Sitting up, he looked at the dark shape more closely as it streaked across the sky. ‘I know that ship.’  
‘Me too,’ said Jannah, looking up. The steady whine of the TIE fighter became louder as it passed over them, its exaggerated wings instantly recognisable.  
‘That’s Kylo Ren’s ship,’ said Prue in amazement, shielding her eyes as she looked at it.  
‘He isn’t on Naboo already?’ Jannah was surprised. She had expected the Supreme Leader to be behind proceedings considering the amount of firepower involved.  
’I’ve never seen a ship shift so fast,’ said Prue, grudgingly admiring the piloting skills of the dark warrior.  
‘Perhaps someone else got a little bit trigger happy,’ surmised Finn, looking back over towards the planet’s capital.  
‘It’ll be General Quinn,’ said Prue, lying back down in the grass again now that the ship had passed over. ‘He’s in charge here.’  
‘Quinn?’ Neither Rose or Finn were familiar with the name.  
‘He’s known for being trigger-happy,’ said Jannah grimly, ‘only slightly less than General Hux.’  
‘Yuck, imagine if those two were running the First Order.’ Prue pulled a face. ‘There’d be nothing left.’  
Finn thought it odd that he found himself agreeing with them; despite his feelings about Kylo Ren, he had to admit that Ren had not been as tyrannical a ruler as the Resistance had initially feared. In fact, he had even initiated some reforms, albeit with mixed results. But then he remembered the strange hold that Ren had over Rey and he shuddered. He was still a bastard. ‘It’s really nice and all sitting here, but don’t you think we ought to get back?’  
‘Now that Ren’s here, Quinn’ll be distracted,’ mentioned Jannah, reluctantly getting to her feet. It had been so calm and peaceful, lying there in the grass. The slight breeze tickling her face, the birds singing in the trees.  
‘Probably a good time to leave, then.’ Prue also her eased her tired body upwards.  
‘Where’s Rose?’ Getting up, Finn looked around, wondering if he had missed something.  
‘Here she is,’ said Jannah softly, putting her finger over her lips.  
They looked over to where Jannah was indicating. Lying in the grass, her eyes closed, was Rose, her chest rising up and down with soft, regular breathing.  
Going over to her, Finn smiled, bemused. ‘She’s fallen asleep.’  
‘Ah, bless,’ sighed Prue, thinking Rose looked beautiful surrounded by the grass, like a child of nature. ‘It’s sad that we have to disturb her.’  
‘Maybe we don’t.’ Crouching down, Finn picked Rose up gently in his arms and, carrying her close to his chest, followed Jannah and Prue into the ship.

As he climbed out of the cockpit of his TIE, Kylo Ren felt nothing but rage. Still smarting from Rey’s rejection, he was further incensed to see the damage that had been done to Theed, especially to the royal palace and the buildings around it. Although he knew very little about his grandmother, Padme Amidala Naberrie, it pained him to think that the city connected to her, and his mother’s, memory, had been desecrated by the troops that he was supposed to be in charge of. As he watched General Quinn heading over to meet him, the anger inside him boiled and raged, increasing the turbulence around him in the Force.  
‘Was it absolutely necessary?’ he demanded of Quinn as they surveyed the shattered plaza together, his cloak billowing out around him. ‘To use missiles to quell a feeble insurrection?’  
‘With respect, it did not seem feeble at the time, Supreme Leader,’ blustered Quinn, more subdued now that he was in Ren’s turbulent presence. ‘The Palace Guards had help. We lost nearly an entire squadron.’  
‘Help? Who from?’  
‘We’re trying to find out,’ stammered Quinn, trotting after Kylo as he started to walk across the plaza, inspecting the damage. ‘There’s been some unusual activity which we’re only just beginning to piece together. What we thought was a First Order ship came through the blockade yesterday and left soon after the insurrection this morning. But its markings don’t match any ships that are part of the fleet. It appears to be a prototype from Kuat.’  
‘It must have been a decoy,’ murmured Kylo to himself. Then he went on to Quinn, ‘Change all the codes and make sure that ships are thoroughly searched before they are permitted to enter the planet. Even First Order ships. And get onto the ship-yards at Kuat to see if any of their ships have been stolen. There was that strange report that came from them, which I didn’t have time to read. Make sure you do.’  
‘Of course, Supreme Leader.’  
‘What’s more concerning is the Queen’s attempt to escape. We were supposed to be monitoring the palace closely,’ barked Kylo, maintaining a steady pace towards the palace. ‘It strikes me as strange that this insurrection occurred in the first place.’  
‘We are looking into it, Supreme Leader,’ replied Quinn, struggling to keep up with Kylo’s quick pace. ‘It seems that our contact within the palace was lying to us. They helped to plan the rebellion with the Queen and her Council.’  
Kylo Ren halted, glaring at Quinn with fierce, dark eyes. ‘I thought I said we would ensure a First Order presence within the palace? Not just outside it.’  
‘You did, Sir,’ agreed Quinn, feeling a cold sweat come out on his forehead as the warrior’s intense gaze bored into him. ‘We were still discussing with the Queen’s Council as to when…’  
‘I said to override the Council,’ snapped Kylo, seeing where the problem had originated. ‘They have obviously been planning this for weeks and you allowed it to happen.’  
Realising it was his fault, Quinn could only stammer, ‘We thought we had the situation under control…’  
‘Thinking is not good enough,’ muttered Kylo, heading towards the palace where he could see the Queen and her Council were emerging from the broken entrance. ‘Ah, I see the Queen is waiting for us.’ He would deal with Quinn later.  
‘Of course, Supreme Leader.’ Grateful that he had avoided a display of Kylo’s wrath, Quinn scurried after him.  
Despite her young age, Kylo could sense the Queen’s defiance as he went to meet her. Dressed in the overtly elaborate gown adopted by all Naboo’s queens, and flanked by several members of her Council, he reflected that it created a shield for the young girl to hide behind just as much as his armour gave him. For although the Queen gave the impression of dignity and control, underneath he could feel her anxiety and fear, wondering what he was going to say to her, and her Council, considering their betrayal of their agreement with the First Order.  
‘Supreme Leader Kylo Ren,’ said the leader of her Council, Sio Bibble II, grandson of the man of the same name who had once counselled his grandmother, Queen Amidala. ‘We would wish to…’  
Kylo Ren held up his hand for silence. ‘I am not interested in hearing your excuses, Bibble. Tell me, do you feel that you are being treated unfairly by the First Order?’  
Frowning, Bibble wondered if it was a trick question. ‘I would not describe a blockade that has been in place for several months now as fair, Supreme Leader. Especially considering that there have been no signs of…’ He trailed off, realising that their recent attempt to remove the Queen from the clutches of the First Order had indeed proved why the blockade was needed, at least in the eyes of its leader.  
‘You see my problem, Queen Melidana,’ said Kylo, addressing the young woman directly. ‘I want to trust you, and your Council, but then something like this happens which suggests that my confidence in you is misplaced.’  
Although she was shaking, the Queen faced Kylo Ren with courage. ‘Then you might wish to keep a closer eye on your Generals, Supreme Leader. We heard rumours that tighter controls were to be implemented by General Quinn, which seemed unfair considering our agreement with all of your other demands.’ She hesitated a moment before continuing, ‘As Counsellor Bibble was only a moment ago trying to tell you, we thought to take our concerns to you in person. We apologise if our message to you was not received.’  
‘It would have gone to the Steadfast.’ Kylo made a mental note to check whether the message from the Queen had been misplaced by some foolish aide or, more importantly, a particular senior officer. He had to admit that she did have a point; he was guilty of leaving places like Naboo in the hands of fanatics like Quinn, and he was not surprised that such rumours might emerge. Turning to the General, he asked him what he thought should be done to restore the situation on Naboo, interested to see what his response would be.  
‘I believe, Supreme Leader, that we should strip the Queen of her title and remove the Royal Council,’ said Quinn, whose solutions tended to veer towards the most punitive possible. ‘We should replace them with a trusted officer of the First Order, who can make decisions on our behalf, rather than allow the people of Naboo to continue to flout the rules that they have agreed with us.’  
Unable to hide her distress any longer, the Queen turned to Kylo Ren, her eyes wide with fear. ‘Please, Supreme Leader, do not agree to this! With this act you would destroy hundreds of years of autonomous rule! Remove me from power, replace me with a new Queen who will bend to your wishes, but please, do not abolish the Royal Council.’  
‘I agree,’ said Kylo Ren, siding with the young Queen, who had impressed him with her eloquence. Besides, he had no intention of listening to Quinn. ’Removing the Queen and Royal Council would set a dangerous precedent.’  
It was Quinn’s turn to lose his cool and he regarded Kylo angrily. ‘Supreme Leader, please do not tell me that you would pay more heed to the pleas of a mere child, than the carefully considered strategy of your senior officers?’  
‘It is not carefully considered, General,’ snapped Kylo, glaring at him coldly. ‘Removing the Queen and her Council, and installing a puppet regime, will drive more systems into the hands of the Resistance.’  
‘But Supreme Leader,’ continued Quinn, driven beyond all reason by the infuriating man in front of him. ‘Several systems are already rebelling against us. If we do not crush them now…’ Quinn stopped, finding it hard to breathe.  
Lifting his hand surreptitiously, Kylo tightened his grip around Quinn’s windpipe. He was tired of listening to his irritating voice. ‘Crushing systems might have worked in Snoke’s time, but as I’ve repeatedly told the High Command, a different approach is needed now.’ Having made his point, he relaxed his fingers, allowing Quinn to breathe properly again.  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader,’ gasped Quinn, clutching at this throat. Such underhand tactics only intensified his hatred for the dark warrior before him.  
Kylo turned back to the Queen, who was watching proceedings with a frightened expression on her face, all pretence at composure gone. ‘Your Majesty, I will give you five days to prepare your defence,’ he said, softening his demeanour in the face of her anxiety. ‘To explain to the High Command why your actions were deemed necessary. During that time, the blockade will remain as it is.’  
‘And you will lift the curfew?’ asked the Queen, tremulously.  
‘We will.’ He had no qualms about removing one of Quinn’s decisions, and felt a sense of satisfaction as the General visibly bristled beside him. ‘We will also make sure that this mess is cleared up, and the palace is restored to its former appearance.’  
‘Thank you, Supreme Leader.’ The Queen looked at her Council with relief; they would have several days reprieve, much needed time that would enable them to regroup and decide their future strategy.  
As Kylo Ren marched back to the command ship, Quinn followed slowly behind him, incensed by what had happened. Their Supreme Leader seemed determined to damage the integrity of the First Order, rolling back all the gains that had been made under Snoke. He had to do something, he had to speak to Hux.  
Once he was back on the Invincible - Kylo Ren having left in his TIE to return to the Steadfast - Quinn contacted Hux on his special, encrypted channel.  
‘Yes, what is it?’ Hux was busy and did not appreciate the interruption.  
‘Kylo Ren is out of control,’ he said angrily, giving vent to his innermost thoughts. ‘He has completely undermined my response to the uprising on Naboo. Now he wants to give the Queen five days to prepare her defence to present to the High Command.’  
‘What is he up to?’ sighed Hux wearily. Quinn was not the first senior officer to have expressed concern about the direction in which Kylo Ren was taking things. Although he wondered if his family connections to Naboo had affected his judgement somewhat.  
‘We need to take matters into our own hands,’ said Quinn decisively. ‘No more pussy footing around. He’s only going to get worse, not better. You know the High Command are willing to support you, if you think it’s time to act.’  
‘Nearly,’ said Hux, urging caution. ‘I have one more piece of evidence withstanding. Then we will have all we need to bring Kylo Ren down.’  
‘Very well.’ Quinn signed off, feeling slightly better that Hux was getting closer to his goal.  
Turning off the channel, General Hux turned back to his guest. ‘Apologies for the interruption, you were saying?’  
A man sat at the highly polished table in Huw’s quarters, a very scruffy and smelly man, who looked like he had not slept properly in several weeks. It was not the kind of man that anyone would expect Hux to be doing business with, he looked incredibly out of the place in the pristine surroundings of the Steadfast. ‘I have traced the starting point of the transmissions you gave me, General. As you requested.’ The man, whose name was DJ, yawned and passed a grubby hand over his bloodshot eyes.  
‘Excellent,’ said Hux, trying to keep away from DJ in case he was catching. He was sure that he could see something living in his filthy sweater. ‘Where were they made from?’  
‘Two were made from here, from the Steadfast,’ replied DJ, passing over the relevant information.  
Hux examined it, ‘From his private chambers, no less,’ he murmured to himself.  
‘And the rest were made from a modified Oubliette-class transport,’ stuttered the codebreaker and thief, ‘a former prison ship which I believe now belongs to the Knights of Ren.’  
A rare smile passed over Hux’s face. He had him now. ‘I must say, DJ, you have more than surpassed my expectations.’ Picking up a datastick, he handed it to him. ‘This will unlock the money and ship that are waiting for you in Hangar 21-56.’  
‘A pleasure doing business with you, General Hux, as always.’ Picking up his hat, DJ stood up and pretended to bow.  
‘You know the way?’  
‘Of course.’ Casting his wandering eye across the room, DJ sauntered out.  
As soon as he was alone, Hux locked the door and went over to a panel in the wall. Pressing a lever revealed a cabinet hidden inside. Piled high inside it were data packets, holocrons and recordings of all types, painstakingly accumulated over years. Some of the recordings showed evidence of tampering, others had been stuck back together, some expertly, others less so.  
Humming a merry tune, Hux added the evidence given to him by DJ to the pile and closed the cabinet door, knowing that he had all he needed. A damning picture of the traitorous nature of their Supreme Leader.  
‘Watch out, Kylo Ren,’ he whispered softly, gleefully. ‘I’m coming for you.’


	18. Rey arrives back on Ajan Kloss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to Ajan Kloss, Rey catches up with her friends and finds out what happens on Naboo. She is horrified and her anger against Kylo Ren increases. Desperate to get to Exegol before he does, she argues with Poe when he wants her to go on another mission. When Rey defies his orders, Finn admits to Poe and Rose that there is more going on with Rey than they think.

Entering the busy command centre, Rey searched for her friends, eager to see them again. After leaving Kijimi, she had toyed with the idea of going straight to Kef Bir but a call from Poe had scuppered those plans when he requested that she come straight back. The First Order were searching for the stolen ships and it was imperative that she returned to the base. It had taken her a while to get back with all the increased First Order activity but now she was back, desperate to tell Poe about her findings.  
But first she wanted to see Finn and Rose, to make sure that they were alright. Whilst dozing off on the way back, she’d had a horrible vision of her friends trapped in a burning city, surrounded by dead and dying stormtroopers. Casting her eyes around the busy command centre, she finally saw them both, sitting together at one of the computer terminals.  
‘Rose! Finn!’  
Hearing Rey’s voice, they looked up from where they had been poring over a new data packet from the First Order informer. Amazingly, it had answered some of their questions about the information held by the regime about their stormtroopers and officers, including birth-date, place of birth and family name, which had given them some new hope after the debacle on Naboo.  
‘Rey!’ As soon as he heard her voice, Finn got up, embracing her tightly. ‘It’s good to see you,’ he murmured, kissing her cheek.   
‘You’re alive,’ she said with relief, feeling safe and secure for the first time since she had arrived back on Ajan Kloss. ‘Both of you.’  
‘Last time I looked,’ quipped Finn, looking at her fondly. ‘You just got back from Kijimi?’  
‘Yes.’ Letting go of Finn, she looked over at Rose. ‘How was Naboo?’  
‘Good and bad,’ answered Rose, swivelling around on her chair to look at Rey, who perched on the edge of the console. ‘We found the deserters.’  
‘And?’  
‘They’re willing to help us, more than willing,’ Rose said positively. ‘One of them, Prue, came back with us. And we’ve got more than enough ideas about how to reach more stormtroopers.’  
‘That’s great.’ Rey could tell that Finn was itching to tell her the bad news, and she shifted her gaze back to him. ‘But…?’  
‘We got caught up in a rebellion whilst we were there,’ he said, leaning back in his chair, ‘led by the palace guards.’  
‘Why?’ It surprised her that anyone would take on the might of the First Order without getting the Resistance involved.  
‘We think they were trying to get the Queen out,’ explained Finn, ‘Rose spoke to one of the guards, and they told her that the Queen had an ally in the Outer Rim.’  
‘But she didn’t get very far,’ continued Rose. ‘Most of the palace and the centre of Theed were destroyed.’  
‘What? How?’ When Rose told her what happened, Rey was horrified to hear of the First Order’s brutality. It also made sense of her vision. ‘How could he do that?’ she fumed, pacing up and down. Theed was a beautiful city and she was angry with Kylo Ren for worsening conditions for its peaceful populace. ‘His mother and his grandmother are buried there!’  
‘But Kylo Ren wasn’t on Naboo,’ said Finn. He did not know why but he wanted her to know that it wasn’t entirely Ren’s fault. ‘It was Quinn who gave the command, he’s in charge of the blockade.’  
‘But he’s Supreme Leader,’ Rey protested, her feelings about Ben still muddled after their meeting on Kijimi. It was little wonder she couldn’t trust him when he was allowing Generals like Hux and Quinn to dictate First Order policy to him. ‘He allowed it to happen.’  
‘But something’s not quite right in the First Order,’ said Rose, handing Rey another of the data packets they had been sifting through. ‘We received this message late last night. It says that the High Command are plotting to overthrow Kylo Ren.’  
‘What?’ Rey was stunned. She wondered if it had anything to do with Ben’s strange proposal that had seemed to come out of nowhere. ’Is this from Boolio?’  
‘No,’ said Finn, looking over to where Poe was talking animatedly with Connix and Wexley, next to the central projector. ‘We don’t know who it came from. But it was sent to us directly.’  
‘We’re still trying to work out where from,’ added Rose, stifling a yawn after being up most of the night. ‘It seems to have been transmitted somewhere in the vicinity of Felusia and Cantonica.’  
‘It might be a trick?’  
Rose nodded, ‘Poe wants to know more before he’ll act on it.’  
‘Speaking of Poe,’ said Rey, ‘I better go and tell him what I found out on Kijimi.’  
Handing the data packet back to Rose, she went over to where Poe was stood looking intently at a large hologram map of the galaxy, making some notes on a data-pad.  
‘Poe?’  
Glancing up, Poe smiled when he saw Rey. ‘There you are. I was just wondering when you’d be back.’  
‘I took me a while,’ said Rey wearily, ‘too many First Order patrols.’  
‘They’re definitely ramping things up,’ said Poe, feeling frazzled. His hair was unbrushed and his shirt rumpled. He was beginning to understand why Leia had been tired all the time in her final months. ‘So, what did you find out?’  
‘I’m pretty certain that Exegol is the source of dark side power that Palpatine was looking for,’ said Rey, beginning to feel the effects of being on her feet for too long without a proper rest. She felt dizzy and lightheaded. ‘As well as where the First Order originated from.’  
‘Good to have that confirmed,’ said Poe, pushing his hair away from his face. ‘Did you find out where Exegol is?’  
‘At the furthest edges of the Unknown Regions,’ explained Rey, trying to find it on the map. She waved at a vague part of it. ‘You need to have the precise co-ordinates because of the dangerous phenomena in that area, but there’s a holocron that shows the way to it. Ochi was tasked with hiding it.’  
‘Who by?’ asked Poe, trying to keep up with her rapid delivery.  
‘Snoke. But that’s not all,’ she went on before Poe could ask another question. ‘Kylo Ren is looking for the same holocron.’  
‘Why?’ Poe asked with concern, as Finn and Rose came to join them, intrigued by what Rey was telling him. ‘What’s on Exegol that is so important to the First Order?’  
‘I don’t know,’ said Rey, wishing that she had thought to ask Ben the same question. ‘But we need to find out, To get to the holocron before he does.’  
‘Where is it?’ asked Finn, looking at the map in front of them.  
‘The holocron? It’s on the remains of the Death Star.’ Rey turned to look at the map, to find the location of Endor and its moons.  
‘But that’s impossible. It blew up,’ Poe reminded her. Leia had liked to tell him that nothing was impossible, but all this talk of Sith acolytes, old relics and vanished Empires made Poe wonder if Rey was losing the plot a little bit.  
‘Babu Frik told me that some parts of it survived the explosion,’ explained Rey, pleased when she saw a flash of recognition in Rose’s eyes, ’and crashed onto Kef Bir.’ Helpfully, she pointed to the map where the moon was projected as a tiny sphere, orbiting the larger gas giant of Endor.  
‘I’ve heard that too,’ said Rose, going over to the console and zooming in onto the Endor system, so that they could see the planet and its moons more clearly. ‘The explorer Selli Dun led an an expedition there many years ago, but they found nothing interesting.’  
‘Maybe the holocron’s gone too,’ suggested Poe, not wanting Rey to get her hopes up. ‘There’s plenty of relic hunters ready to risk their lives in pursuit of something like that.’  
‘But I need to try,’ cried Rey earnestly, turning to him. ‘You have to let me go,’ she pleaded, sensing some reluctance on Poe’s part, ‘We have to get that holocron.’  
‘Wait a minute,’ said Poe, wanting to rein her in. ‘We need you for other things. Finn and Rose are already tied up and I need you to go to the Sinta Glacier Colony. We’ve not heard from Boolio for a while now and we need to check up on him.’ There had been complete silence from the Colony and despite probing for information, none had been forthcoming. Boolio was too good a source of information to give up on him.  
‘No,’ said Rey, frustrated by his response. He did not seem to understand the urgency of their situation. ‘Send someone else. I need to go to Kef Bir.’  
‘There is no-one else.’ Putting down his data-pad, Poe could see why Finn was concerned about Rey. She had always been impetuous, but her frustration and anger were far more prominent than before. ‘Look Rey. We all wish we could choose what we want to do, and where we want to go. I’m sure that finding this obscure planet in the middle of nowhere will be important at some stage. But not now.’  
‘So you’re just going to sit there and let Kylo Ren find it?’ Rey accused him angrily. ‘Exegol is steeped in the dark side. Kylo’s already powerful. Imagine what he could do if he went further into the dark?’ Poe looked about to answer but Rey shut him down, not allowing him the opportunity to speak. ‘Leia would have understood its importance. She would have allowed me to go.’  
‘Well, I’m not Leia,’ snapped Poe, his own feelings starting to get the better of him.  
‘No, you’re not.’ Annoyed, tired and unable to think straight, Rey stomped out of the room.  
Concerned for his friend, Finn made to go after her but Poe stopped him. ‘I don’t think that’s wise. Leave her to simmer down.’  
‘She’s exhausted,’ said Rose, worried about Rey’s state of mind. ‘And I don’t think her Jedi training is helping very much. She told me she was struggling with it, and with her emotions.’  
‘Yeah, she told me the same.’ Heaving a big sigh, Finn leaned against the console. He knew he had to tell his friends about what was happening to Rey. It was becoming too big a secret now that she was openly chafing against what the Resistance needed her to do. It weighed heavily on him, and he did not like keeping secrets from the rest of his friends. ’But there’s something else.’  
‘There is?’ Poe wondered if he had made a mistake by neglecting Rey’s wellbeing, largely leaving it in the hands of Finn and Rose. ‘Tell me.’  
‘Rey told me that she was being tempted by the dark side,’ Finn confessed, feeling awful that he was betraying his friend but Poe needed to know the truth about Rey’s outburst. ‘She’s been hearing voices. Seeing visions of the future.’  
Raking his hands through his hair, Poe tried to think straight. He knew very little about the Force; he knew it had a dark side and a light side, but he was not aware of how someone fell to the dark side. He assumed that some people had a greater propensity to evil than others but now that Rey was struggling with the darkness, perhaps that assumption was incorrect. He was still getting used to the idea that Kylo Ren had been manipulated by Snoke and now it seemed the same was happening to Rey. ‘Is this something that all Jedi go through?’  
‘Rey said the dark side will always test a Jedi’s commitment to the light,’ explained Finn, seeing that Poe was struggling to understand. ‘It happened to Luke, and to Anakin Skywalker.’  
‘And only one of those remained in the light,’ their leader pointed out, feeling a little out of his depth. Although he believed in the Force, and had seen what Force users were capable of, it was still a huge mystery to him.  
‘But that’s not the half of it,’ said Finn, wondering how he was going to break the most controversial aspect of Rey’s struggle.  
‘What?’ Poe was worried, beginning to wonder if they had a loose cannon at the heart of the Resistance.  
‘Rey’s… Rey’s formed a connection with Kylo Ren.’  
‘What?’ He stared at Finn uncomprehendingly. ‘What do you mean, a connection?’  
Something clicked inside Rose’s brain. ‘She told me that Kylo Ren saved her life. Snoke wanted him to kill her but he refused and killed Snoke instead.’  
‘But it’s more than that,’ explained Finn, ‘she told me that they can talk to each other and see each other across space.’ His words came out in a breathless rush as he sought to find the right words. ‘They can see into each others’ heads. Sense each other’s emotions. Understand what the other is thinking. Rey called it a dyad.’  
‘A dyad?’ Poe racked his brains, thinking that the term sounded familiar. ‘Isn’t that when two separate beings work together, to create harmony?’  
‘I don’t know,’ mused Finn, but then suddenly he had a flash of insight. ‘That’s it! That’s what she meant!’  
‘What who meant?’ Both Poe and Rose stared at him.  
‘What Rey meant,’ Finn went on, trying to make sense of his thoughts. ‘Rey wants Ren to turn back to the light. Because with him on the dark side, they’re not working together. It creates disharmony.’  
‘Eh?’ Poe thought he had missed an important part of the conversation. ‘Rey thinks that Kylo Ren will return to the light?’  
‘I don’t know if he will, but she wants him to,’ said Finn. ‘Because it’s affecting her too.’  
‘Okay.’ Poe thought he was finally getting a handle on what Finn was talking about. ‘Let me get this straight. Ren’s connection to the dark side is affecting Rey? Because they’re a dyad?’  
‘Yes,’ said Finn, Poe’s summary helping to put his ideas into perspective. Thoughts that had been churning around in his head ever since he had found Rey and Ren together. ‘At least, that’s how I understand it.’  
‘Poor Rey,’ said Rose sadly, ‘No wonder she’s been on edge. She’s been going through all this on her own.’  
‘How long has this been going on?’ Poe wanted to know.  
‘Since she went to Ahch-To.’  
‘All this time we had a connection to the Supreme Leader and we never knew!’ Poe wanted to be angry with Rey but he couldn’t. Like Rose, he could understand why she had been angry and difficult, having to cope with a situation that hardly anyone else would comprehend. ‘Did she give any indication of how Kylo Ren feels about this connection of theirs?’  
Finn thought back to what Rey had said, as well as the feelings he had sensed when he caught them together. ‘He cares for her.’  
Poe should have been surprised but he wasn’t. There was something about Rey that made people want to care for her; she was strong but also vulnerable. ‘I guess that’s why he saved her life,’ he said to Rose.  
‘But she told me he doesn’t think he can turn back to the light,’ Finn went on, ‘because of what he’s done.’  
‘Hmm. This changes things significantly.’ Poe was already thinking about they could use this information, considering the hints of power struggles taking place within the First Order. ‘We have to capitalise on her relationship with Kylo Ren somehow. If we could get him on our side, this could be how we win!’  
‘We can’t trust him,’ said Finn, worried that Poe was getting carried away, ‘Even Leia gave up on her son, remember?’  
‘But Rey hasn’t,’ Poe pointed out. ‘And someone high-up is feeding us information. If Ren’s conflicted about Rey then it might mean that he’s more amenable to striking a deal with us.’  
‘But we’ll have to get in fast,’ Rose reminded him. ‘If there’s a plot to bring him down, Kylo Ren might not be leader of the First Order for much longer.’  
‘I like your point.’ Poe’s mind was already racing with possibilities, ‘Do you guys have any ideas about how to approach Rey about this…?’  
‘Hang on a minute,’ said Finn irritably. ‘We need to talk about Rey, not Ren. She’s struggling with the dark side and we have to help her.’  
‘But how?’ Poe felt out of his depth when it came to the Force. ‘You know more about it than me. I’m floundering here.’  
‘I don’t know either,’ said Finn miserably. Rey’s abilities were in a whole different league to his own. ‘Perhaps if we…?’  
‘General!’ It was one of the technicians, calling Poe over to one of the consoles where a red light was flashing.  
Poe hurried over, ‘What is it?’  
’Sorry to interrupt but there’s been an unauthorised launch from Hangar 17.’  
As Finn and Rose came to join him, Poe watched on the screen as one of the X-Wings took off and disappeared into the skies above the base, speeding out of view. Immediately, he knew it was Rey. He should have been cross with her for stealing one of the ships but he couldn’t help but admire her. It was the sort of thing he would have done before he became a leader with responsibilities. ‘There goes our chance to ask Rey about Kylo Ren…’ he sighed.  
‘How can you say that?’ cried Finn, staring at the screen in confusion, ‘We need to get after her!’  
Putting his hand on his friend’s arm, Poe shook his head. ‘Rey’s old enough to make her own decisions. We have to let her go.’ When Finn looked ready to argue, Poe squeezed his arm gently. ‘She’s disobeyed an order. She’s not made that choice lightly.’  
‘But… she’s alone, she’s struggling,’ said Finn miserably, wondering why Rey had done this. She had been right, nobody really understood who she was or what she wanted. She was a mystery to him.  
‘As you said we’re talking about the Force here - about light and darkness,’ said Poe gently, ‘things we don’t entirely understand. Let her go, buddy.’  
Seeing that it was pointless to argue, Finn nodded, knowing that even if he did follow Rey, what could he do. He couldn’t stop her, she could easily throw him aside with a wave of her hand.  
‘We have to trust her,’ Rose said simply, offering him her support. Sobbing, Finn collapsed in her arms, letting his emotions pour out.  
Poe watched conflicted, he wanted to say that everything was going to be okay. But how could he? Things were changing fast - too fast. ‘Alright, I know it’s a difficult time,’ he said, as Finn pulled himself together and wiped his eyes. ‘Emotions are high. We’re under enormous pressure. But we have to seize the opportunities presented to us.’  
‘What do you want us to do?’ asked Rose, keeping her hand on Finn’s shoulder.  
‘Find out who sent that message. If Kylo Ren is sympathetic to our cause, even if it’s only for Rey’s sake, then we need to get to him. And fast.’


	19. A change in the air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren wakes up with a strange feeling. Today is the day that Hux's plans are coming to fruition. A short chapter that sees big changes in the leadership of the First Order.

Kylo Ren woke up after a short sleep, feeling peculiar. Something had changed on board the Steadfast and he couldn’t quite place it. The atmosphere felt charged, as if a huge amount of energy was about to be unleashed. It reminded him of the moment before a lightning storm on his home planet of Chandrila. The eerie calm settling over the forests. The intense grey of the sky. The feeling of dread, of knowing that something tremendous was about to happen. The sudden crack and flash as the lighting lit up the sky, followed by the rain pouring down. It had always excited him.  
But he had been younger then. Now it did not excite him, for he knew it meant that a massive change was coming. His first thought was Hux. Suspicion had been swirling around Hux for months, and ever since he had seized control of the First Order he knew that Hux would be scheming against him. It was one of his oversights; he should have kept a closer eye on the arrogant General, but in the midst of all that was happening, he simply did not have the time or the inclination.  
Getting up, he dressed quickly and made sure that his lightsaber was on his belt. There was nothing to suggest that anything untoward was going to happen to him - but he had to be ready.  
A meeting had been planned with the High Command for zero nine hours precisely and Kylo made his way quickly along the pristine corridors, keeping up a steady pace. Technicians and officers scampered out of his way as he approached, but that was not unusual. They were still so afraid of him, even though he had technically shown them a calmer, more relaxed side since he had taken over. But memories of his outbursts lingered far longer than his designs for the First Order propaganda.  
Just before he reached the meeting room, he felt a strange feeling wash over him, as if someone familiar was nearby. They were angry and upset, he could feel the waves of emotion assaulting him through the Force.  
Rey…  
He paused, having to steady himself as the intensity of her feelings overwhelmed him. Looking around, he could not see any indication that their Force bond had been initiated but he felt torn. She was clearly in a terrible place and he wanted to help her. To protect her from what was hurting her. But at the same time he knew that as long as he remained on the dark side she would struggle to accept him and he pushed the need to act towards the back of his mind. It would have to wait until later.  
When he got to the meeting room, the doors opened and Kylo entered. On the surface, everything was as it should be. The officers of the High Command were sitting around the table waiting for him, a few in person, the rest like Engell, Griss and Quinn in hologram form. But as he made his way over to the table he became aware of the tension in the room. It was emanating from Hux, who was standing to one side as if about to give a presentation. Even more unusually, no-one was talking.  
Then he noticed that there were six helmets on the table.  
Six helmets that belonged to the Knights of Ren.   
Without looking, Kylo knew that their heads were still inside the helmets.  
Exhaling slowly to contain himself, he glared at Hux. ‘What is the meaning of this?’  
‘They obstructed our plans to obtain evidence of your deceit, Supreme Leader,’ said Hux imperiously, ‘hence they were disposed of.’  
Kylo wondered how he had managed it. All of the Knights had been Force sensitive, even if it was a crude, brutal connection. He must have taken them by surprise. ‘Deceit, General Hux?’  
‘We have reason to believe, Ren, that for some months now, you have been hiding crucial information from the High Command. Information that disputes your claim to be our trusted Leader. Shall we review the evidence?’  
‘Please do.’ He could not think of anything that Hux would have found that could be used against him.  
‘Turning to the console, Hux pressed a button. ‘Let’s have a listen to Exhibit A.’ Immediately, Rey’s voice filled the room, gentle and persuasive. 'You don’t have to do this. I feel the conflict in you. It’s tearing you apart.'  
Oh. Kylo clenched his hands tightly. How did Hux get hold of this? Idly, he wondered if he could bluff his way out of the situation but judging by the reactions around the table, it was not going to be easy.  
'Ben, when we touched hands I saw your future. Just the shape of it but solid and clear. You will not bow before Snoke. You’ll turn. I’ll help you. I saw it.'  
‘You murdered Snoke, didn’t you,’ Hux accused him, switching off the speaker. ‘You planned it with the girl. She helped you to kill the guards but then something happened between you and she left in Snoke’s escape pod.’  
‘All you have is the word of the girl,’ Kylo pointed out, keeping his expression neutral. Idiot! He knew he should have disposed of that recording more thoroughly, now it was coming back to haunt him. ‘She was talking about a vision she’d had. A vision that was wrong.’  
‘Was it? You say that the girl murdered Snoke but not how she managed to defeat eight highly trained Praetorian Guards without your help.’   
When Kylo said nothing, Hux went over to an object that was hidden beneath a black cloth. ‘Let us examine Exhibit B.’ He pulled out the holocron that Kylo had recovered from Mustafar. ‘Why did you try to hide this in the archive without informing the High Command of what was on it?’  
‘It contained nothing of interest,’ said Kylo dismissively.  
‘We would beg to differ,’ argued Hux, and General Quinn in particular, nodded vigourously. ‘It reveals Snoke’s true plans for the First Order, not your pathetic attempt at restoring the hated Republic, the very government that we brought down!’  
‘So my plans for the First Order are different to Snoke’s,’ shrugged Kylo, not sure where Hux’s logic was leading him. ‘Only those with no imagination would follow their predecessor slavishly.’  
‘But not with priorities that go against the very ideology of the organisation they lead,’ interjected Hux, getting angry at Kylo’s apparent lack of concern. ‘But then, you have always given the impression of not being fully committed to the ideology of the First Order.’  
‘I was Snoke’s apprentice, not his minion,’ Kylo said, purposefully baiting the arrogant and prickly General. ‘Your obsession with conquest and technological domination has only resulted in violence and oppression. If it is to have any longevity, the First Order needs to bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy’s citizens, and that has always been my goal.’  
‘And such an enlightened ruler you’ve turned out to be,’ snarled Hux, incensed by his jibes. ‘Unrest has only increased under your leadership.’  
‘People take time to get used to new ideas,’ Kylo shrugged, refusing to let Hux unnerve him.  
Hux returned to the computer console. ‘It is of no matter. This new evidence I have secured will be enough to show the rest of the High Command the true extent of your treachery.’   
‘I hope for your sake this evidence is more compelling than the previous two examples,’ agreed Kylo.  
Hux smiled faintly. ‘Don’t worry, Ren, I saved the best until last. Let’s examine Exhibit C. With the help of a code-breaker, I have managed to intercept, and de-code, several transmissions that were made from your private quarters on the Steadfast and from the Night Buzzard, the ship that belonged to your Knights of Ren. These transmissions passed on highly sensitive information about First Order strategy to the Resistance.’ Here the content of the transmissions appeared on the screen, visible to the rest of the High Command. ‘The evidence I have here proves beyond reasonable doubt, Ren, that you are the informer. Only you have authority to both know, and send, this information.’  
‘Okay, you’ve got me,’ admitted Kylo, seeing that there was no easy way to back out of the situation. The other evidence he could fudge, this he could not. Skulduggery, manipulation and jostling for power was pare for the course in an unstable organisation like the First Order. Killing Snoke to have greater control was understandable, so was trying to bury the evidence of his predecessor’s plans. That flowed naturally from a grab for power. But selling them out to the Resistance? To the High Command, he knew it would not make sense except as a very convoluted plan to lull the Resistance into a false sense of security before annihilating them. And whilst subduing the Resistance had been an important motivation for Kylo, the real reason for his intervention would only have fed further into Hux’s narrative of betrayal.  
There was a murmur of surprise from around the table. Out of the High Command, Kylo could sense that General Engell and Admiral Griss were the most upset about Hux’s revelations. Apart from Quinn, who was firmly situated in Hux’s camp, the rest did not really seem to care either way.  
‘Why? Why did you do it?’ Admiral Griss asked, almost in despair. He personally liked Kylo Ren, preferring him to General Hux, and had been pleased with the direction that their new Supreme Leader had taken. Now he did not know what to think, and he looked at Kylo with genuine confusion and sorrow.  
‘Because he is a traitor and an enemy of the First Order,’ declared Hux dramatically, pulling out his blaster and pressing a button on the nearby console. ‘Kylo Ren, I command you to stand down!’  
Without even looking at him, Kylo used the Force to pull the blaster out of Hux’s hand and threw it across the room, then knocked the General down to the floor with a mere gesture. ‘No-one will command me to do anything,’ he said calmly.  
‘We’ll see about that,’ muttered Hux. He still had one last surprise for the Supreme Leader.  
Kylo toyed with the idea that he could kill the lot of them in one go but before he could pull out his lightsaber, the door opened and a squad of troops marched in, troops that he had never seen before. They were dressed in black armour, the red logo of the First Order glittering on their chests. In their hands they carried a variation on the riot control baton, crackling and humming with a fierce energy.   
If Kylo was not mistaken their weapons looked like an attempt to make a lightsaber, but even more strange, he could feel their menacing energy through the Force. ’What the hell?’  
‘Not so powerful now, are you, Ren,’ gloated Hux, getting to his feet. ‘I guess you should have paid more attention to the work that Phasma and I were doing in the academies. For years we have been looking at ways to harness the power of the Force for our own uses, and these Elite troops are the closest we have come to it.’  
The troops were no where as near as strong as him in the Force, but there were enough of them to make it challenging odds. ’Allow me to leave and I won’t harm anyone.’  
Hux narrowed his eyes, ‘If you think that will work then you’re more stupid than I thought…’  
Drawing his lightsaber, Kylo pushed at Hux with all his might, sending his nemesis sprawling backwards into his own troops. With several of them distracted, he made his way towards the door, parrying and slashing as the rest came at him. With his other hand he wildly lashed out with the Force, sending another two troops spinning away as they came out him. Finally the way was clear and he bolted out of the door, desperate to get to the hangars before Hux recovered his wits, his relatively short reign as Supreme Leader over.  
With the High Command watching in confusion, still reeling from the revelations about their now ex-leader, Hux ran over to the microphone at the side of the room. Pressing the button that connected it to speakers all the over Steadfast, he croaked, ‘Attention all personnel! Kylo Ren is an enemy and a traitor of the First Order! Do not allow him to leave! Kill him if you must!’  
Immediately, alarms started to ring all over the ship and in the meeting room, casting the faces of the High Command in an eerie glow.  
‘You might as well let him go,’ said Griss mildly, disappointed, but not surprised, by Hux’s actions. ‘He won’t last long outside the First Order.’  
‘Maybe not.’ Getting to his feet, Hux glared at the Admiral. ‘But we can’t afford to let him reach the Resistance!’

Energised by his newfound freedom, Kylo Ren was currently battling his way through several squadrons of his formerly loyal troops that were blocking his way to the hangar bay where his ship was waiting. He was hard pressed by sheer numbers but he had something that they didn’t, reflexes that were sharpened and enhanced by the Force, enabling him to instinctively react to the situation ahead of him. He knew when to dodge a blaster shot, using his lightsaber to deflect another from behind him. His lightsaber was crude and cumbersome, and his approach to attack was feral and savage, but what he lacked in grace he more than made up for in power and energy. Soon the corridors were littered with the bodies of stormtroopers as he forced his way onwards, trying to keep one step ahead of the strange, Force-sensitive warriors that Hux had created. There was a feeling in the back of his mind that such efforts had been started under Snoke, who had already tampered with the Force to create the faceless, Praetorian Guards that had protected him in the Throne Room.  
Finally he could see the entrance to the hanger bay in sight. No one had thought to close it, suggesting that although Hux had been methodical in obtaining evidence against him, it seemed he had not thought about how he might be contained on board the Steadfast, or how they might prevent his escape. On the approach, a couple of stormtroopers guarding it half-heartedly tried to shoot at him but he simply used the Force to push them back, and that was enough to stop them from trying further.   
There, across the obscenely clean floor he could see his TIE was waiting, still connected to the fuel line. Making sure that the engine was topped up, he climbed into the cockpit. Checking the controls and the scopes, he could not see any evidence of tampering. Turning on all systems, he disconnected the fuel pipe and leaned back into the pilot’s chair. The engines warmed up, filling the cockpit with its familiar hum, and he made sure that the landing supports were disengaged as the TIE started to lift into the air. Coming into the hangar, he could see the Elite troops, followed by regular stormtroopers, which immediately started to fire on his ship. Lazily he reached over and returned their fire with the ship’s main cannons, raking the floor of the hangar with enough laser to send several troops flying into the air.  
By now the ship was ready to leave, and, pushing the engine as hard as he could, the TIE streaked out of the hangar, heading for the vast reaches of space. Leaving Hux, the High Command and all the problems associated with leading the First Order far behind him.  
For a moment he was tense, waiting for the squadron of TIE fighters to be sent after him. But for the time being, nothing. Perhaps Hux had assumed that his new troops would be able to contain him. What an idiot.  
Finally he allowed himself to relax. Soon the Steadfast, and the First Order, would be far behind him.  
But where would he go?  
In a way, he reflected calmly, Hux’s coup had been a blessing in disguise. Taking on the mantle of Supreme Leader had seemed a good idea in the aftermath of Snoke’s death, a way of dealing with Rey’s rejection of his more grandiose, and interesting, plans. Yet, having that amount of power no longer interested him, had never really interested him. It had never fulfilled him or made up for the emptiness he felt at the core of his being. All those meetings, all those plans and strategies, had only bored him. Now it was just him. But it meant that he was free - free to go where he wanted. He could disappear into the Outer Rim. No-one need know who he was or what he was doing. Real freedom. The same freedom that his father had always craved.  
Rey…  
Her name popped unbidden into his head, reminding him that he wasn’t alone. He was part of a dyad, albeit a dysfunctional one. Before he disappeared, now was the time to tell her what he needed to. Reaching into the Force, he searched for Rey’s imprint, heading down as many avenues as he could, following every lead until finally he grasped it. The vibrant chaos of light that called to him through the Force, sparking and fizzing with great energy but which was now infused with more and more traces of darkness.   
Where is she?   
With a flash of insight, he realised exactly where she would be. The dark side was calling to her and she was heading into danger. Kicking the ship into a higher gear, he sped off to find her.

‘What do you mean, he’s gone?’ Hux looked angrily at Officer Melan, who had come to the High Command’s meeting room to deliver the bad news. That despite the best efforts of the Elite troops, and the several squadrons of TIE fighters sent out of the Steadfast, Kylo Ren’s whereabouts were currently, unknown. ‘How did he escape?’  
‘His TIE went into light speed before we could track it, General.’  
‘What do you mean?’ Hux frowned, ‘I thought I ordered a beacon to be placed upon the ship. So that we could track it?’  
‘Er, I don’t know about that, General,’ stammered Melan. She was a nervous young woman who greatly disliked her role within the First Order. Despite continual training and indoctrination, it had somehow never stuck. In consequence, her superiors often gave her the worst jobs to do as a consequence of what they perceived to be her poor attitude.  
Sighing, Hux waved his hand dismissively. ‘Go and look into it, clearly my order has been neglected, most likely at the whim of our former leader.’  
‘Yes, General Hux.’ Bowing obediently, Melan left the room, glad to be away from the eyes of the High Command, who were still sitting around the table.  
‘That’s Supreme Leader Hux to you,’ snapped the glowering former General, feeling no satisfaction from the obvious confusion and fear in her eyes. Inferiors such as Melan were far too easy to break. Instead, he watched her impassively as she scurried away and out of the room. Turning back to the rest of the High Command he said matter-of-factly, ‘We need to do a broadcast. Announce to the scum of this galaxy that they have a new leader. A new leader that will take them into a more glorious future than that pathetic excuse for a human being, Kylo Ren.’  
‘Of course, Supreme Leader.’ The High Command concurred, murmuring amongst themselves as Hux left the meeting room with Quinn.  
‘That’s two fifty you owe me,’ said Griss, grinning at Engell.


	20. Finn and Rose finally meet the Master Codebreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Rose fly to Polis Massa to meet with the Master Codebreaker, who has fallen on hard times. Their plan is to get into the First Order to retrieve the archive of information that will help them to give the 'Lost Children' (stormtroopers) their names and homeworlds back. But whilst they are there, they find out some surprising information.

The shuttle swooped low, trying to avoid the asteroids flying towards it. Inside the cockpit, Rose ducked involuntarily. ‘Who’s idea was it to come here?’  
‘You can blame Maz,’ said Finn, trying to concentrate on steering the ship through the hazards outside, ‘she suggested it!’ Not long after Rey had fled Ajan Kloss, Maz had got into contact with them about their need to find a hacker or codebreaker that could help them break into the First Order’s archive. It had given Finn in particular something to take his mind off his concerns about Rey and here they were, heading for Polis Massa. They had taken the command ship that they had stolen from Kuat. With a few modifications, and a stolen serial number, Rose had managed to make it seem like a different ship.  
The hidden facility of Polis Massa had been used throughout its existence as a hideout, most notably for several Jedi warriors during the power grab by Chancellor Palpatine. Maz seemed to think it was poetic that Finn and Rose were headed there to meet the Master Codebreaker, the man they had so spectacularly failed to meet on Canto Bight. Maz had warned them that he was no longer at the top of his game, but he was still a decent hacker.  
‘There it is,’ Finn could see the large asteroid housing the research and medical facility looming before them. Taking the ship down, he steered through the asteroid field until they entered into the large canyon that contained the facility. They landed on a platform to the left hand side, the giant wings folding up as a protective tunnel immediately shot out from the side of the building to connect with their ship and ensure that they could reach the complex safely.  
Grabbing their weapons, Finn and Rose left the ship and headed down the tunnel towards the facility’s entrance. Once inside, they found themselves in a large, white hallway, a large stairway leading upwards to reach further parts of the complex. Visitors, both human and non-human, were milling around in the hallway, some eating and drinking at a large cafe towards the back, others relaxing on large white sofas around the sides. They mixed with the workers of Polis Massa, archaeologists, scientists and med-techs, small, thin beings with strange, translucent skin that had adapted to living in conditions devoid of direct sunlight.  
Scanning the crowd, Finn and Rose looked for the Master Codebreaker amongst the many different faces, not expecting to find the complex so busy. They were beginning to wonder if he had even showed up, when they suddenly spotted him, or someone who looked like him, lounging on one of the couches. But he was not the man they had glimpsed in the Casino, far from it.  
‘Are we sure that’s him?’ Rose looked appalled. Gone was the suave dice player, dressed in the finest fabrics. Now he was rough and unshaven, his face covered in cuts and bruises, dressed in a grey jumpsuit that was dirty and ripped. Amazingly, the red pom bloom was still attached to his lapel, although it had lost most of its petals.  
‘Yeah that’s him,’ Finn couldn’t help laughing, clearly the Master Codebreaker had fallen on hard times.  
They went over to where he was sitting on his own, reading a glossy magazine about the First Order’s ambitious plans for Coruscant.  
‘Maz sent us,’ said Rose, trying to get his attention.  
‘She did?’ He barely looked up from his magazine, ‘Why?’  
‘She said you needed the money,’ said Finn, trying not to laugh.  
That made him put down the magazine, and they sat down, one either side of him. ‘Unfortunately she’s right.’ The Master Codebreaker looked downcast but he tried to muster some enthusiasm for his contacts. ‘Tell me what you need.’  
‘We need someone to help us hack into the First Order’s computers,’ explained Finn, deciding that it was best to be honest from the start. ‘We need to get into their archives and find out what information they hold on their recruits. Then make a copy of it.’  
‘You do, huh?’ The Master Codebreaker sighed, ‘That’s what Maz told me and it’s pretty impossible.’  
‘We know,’ said Rose, persistent. ‘But Maz insisted that you would be able to help us.’  
‘And as a favour to her to make up for last time,’ added Finn, mischievously.  
‘What last time?’ Suddenly, a realisation dawned on his narrow face. ‘You’re the kids I was supposed to meet on Canto Bight!’  
‘Yes, that was us,’ said Finn.  
‘What happened?’ He remembered there had been a number of incidents the last time he had visited Canto Bight, including a large amount of damage done by some escaped fathiers. They had run amok through the casino and the town, leaving a trail of destruction that, as far as he knew, was still being cleaned up over a year later.  
‘We got thrown into jail for a parking violation.’  
‘Hmm, Canto Bight was obviously a bad place for all of us,’ said the Master Codebreaker, putting the magazine back onto the table in front of him. ‘I lost my reputation, and all my money, to some parasite called Lovey. Although,’ he added with a slight smile on his face, ‘she was a very attractive parasite.’  
Put off by his attitude, Rose rolled her eyes. She imagined it would not be hard to stroke the ego of a man like the Master Codebreaker but she wasn’t about to try. ‘Will you help us?’  
He considered it for a moment. ‘You know my price?’  
‘We do.’ Maz had been very clear that despite his fall from grace, the Master Codebreaker would expect a generous payment. ‘You’re not cheap.’  
‘It’s a dangerous job. And you can afford it?’  
‘We can.’  
‘I’m in.’ The Master Codebreaker looked thoughtful for a moment, ‘You know, I’ve been thinking about where we should do it.’ He tapped a long, elegant, finger on the magazine cover. ‘Coruscant.’  
‘Coruscant?’ Finn was surprised, ‘but the place is crawling with the First Order.’  
‘I hate to break it to you, kid, but most places are,’ said the Master Codebreaker, who couldn’t have been that much older than Finn. ‘Our chances of getting through to the archive on the ground will be better than trying to get onto one of the ships. Besides, I’m part of a network that’s left something we can use in the Senate building.’ He looked at them both, ‘Do you agree?’  
‘We’ve not had much luck getting in and out of First Order ships,’ Rose had to admit. They had only managed to escape from the Supremacy because of the damage done to it by the Raddus.  
‘Right, and my luck isn’t that great at the moment so I’d rather not risk trying to get onto the Steadfast. Especially now that Hux is in charge of the First Order…’  
‘What?’ Finn looked at Rose with amazement, ‘When did that happen?’ It seemed only a moment ago that the rumours suggesting Kylo Ren would be ousted had started circulating. But it had happened and Finn couldn’t help feeling anxious about the future.  
‘You’ve not heard?’ The Master Codebreaker’s eyes widened; ‘the whole system here is buzzing with it. Come on.’  
Getting up, he led Finn and Rose over to one of the consoles on the far side of the room. Lots of people were crowded around a vid-screen watching the transmission. Peering through them, Rose could see Hux, dressed in a much grander variation on his General’s uniform, standing on a large stage, surrounded by the High Command, delivering his message to the masses of the galaxy. Guarding the bottom of the stage were rows and rows of stormtroopers, all holding weapons. Huge flags decorated the backdrop behind Hux, showing the symbols of the First Order. It was a clear display of military might and power.  
‘Can you turn it up, please, guys?’ asked the Master Codebreaker to the people in front.  
They obliged and the arrogant voice of Hux came loudly into the space. ‘Know that the warrior called Kylo Ren has been declared a traitor and an enemy of the First Order,’ he was saying, his lip curled in anger. ‘It is likely that he will try to make contact with the terrorist organisation known as the Resistance. For years he has hidden his secret shame that he is the scion of Han Solo, filthy pirate and smuggler, and Princess Leia Organa, who preferred to reject her illustrious heritage for a career of criminal activity against two legitimate governments. If you have any information leading to the capture of Kylo Ren, who may also go by the name of Ben Solo, then the First Order wants to hear from you. But be warned. Do not approach this man unless you are heavily armed. He is a most dangerous and volatile individual, able to command the Force in ways that are unnatural and strange…’  
Having heard enough, Finn turned away. ‘I don’t believe it!’  
‘The message was right,’ Rose was astonished.  
‘What message?’ asked the Master Codebreaker, picking at a scab on his cheek. He was personally more surprised by the revelation that Kylo Ren was the son of Princess Leia and Han Solo; he had not seen that coming at all.  
‘Looks like it,’ Finn muttered, not sure whether he liked the idea that Kylo Ren might be useful to the Resistance after all. Now he was free of his association with the First Order, it was likely that Poe would try to reach out to him.  
‘He must have been the informer,’ said Rose, looking at Finn with certainty. ‘And he did it for Rey.’  
The Master Codebreaker looked from Finn to Rose, a realisation dawning on his face. ‘Kylo Ren has been helping the Resistance?’  
‘It certainly looks that way,’ said Finn sourly, a nasty feeling in the pit of his stomach.  
‘We’ve got into some heavily guarded places thanks to the codes that Kylo Ren’s given us. Including Coruscant,’ shrugged Rose.  
‘You’ve already been there?’ The Master Codebreaker cheered up when Rose nodded. ‘You still got those codes?’  
‘Let’s hope that Supreme Leader Hux hasn’t been methodical enough to change them overnight,’ she smiled.  
‘It’s okay, I’ve got something that will help with that,’ said the Master Codebreaker, smiling enigmatically.  
Once the Master Codebreaker had collected his meagre belongings together, Finn and Rose took him back to their ship. It turned out that he had been staying on Polis Massa for several months, hawking for work but only finding scraps here and there. A crackdown on law enforcement by the First Order had made it more difficult for him to ply his trade in the Core Worlds, and he confided to Rose that he was thinking about moving to the Outer Rim where their reach was still much weaker.  
‘I really need to give up my title too,’ he said ruefully to Rose as they took their seats in the cockpit. ‘It belongs to Lovey now.’  
Rose could not help thinking that Lovey would have been a better bet than the broken man before them, but she trusted Maz’s judgement. Perhaps giving him a chance to prove himself would help the Master Codebreaker get back the hope and energy he needed to drag himself out of the gutter. ‘Do you have a name?’ she asked gently.  
‘Tym,’ he said, finally dropping all pretence that he was still somebody important. ‘That’s what my mother knows me as.’  
‘All the checks are done,’ asked Finn as he came nosily into the cockpit, ‘you two ready to go?’  
‘Yeah, all set,’ said Rose, strapping herself into her seat.  
The ship streaked away from the asteroid belt, heading for the city planet of Coruscant. Rose was nervous about returning, especially now that Kylo Ren had been ousted as leader of the First Order. Despite his awful reputation, the reality of which she had witnessed on Crait, he seemed to have worked hard to curb the worst excesses of the military regime. With Hux seizing control, she could not escape the feeling that those excesses would return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked the idea suggested in the Last Jedi Visual Dictionary that Lovey was trying to bring down the Master Codebreaker and take his place, so this seemed the ideal opportunity to try it out.


	21. Rey arrives on Kef Bir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey reaches the moon of Kef Bir, where she finds the remains of the second Death Star. Searching through the ruins, she encounters dangerous creatures and terrifying voices call to her. The dark side is all around her and she struggles to resist it. She is drawn to the remains of the Emperor's throne room where she makes a discovery... but also runs into Kylo Ren. They battle and it ends in Rey making a terrible mistake.  
> Violence, loss of control and temptation by the dark side all feature in this chapter, which contribute to Rey's emotional state. This is probably the part where I owe the greatest debt to the films but hopefully it's different enough.

With Finn and Rose on their way to Coruscant, Rey had finally reached the moon of Kef Bir. As her X-wing plunged through the thick clouds that engulfed it, Rey stared out at the desolate landscape in front of her. The sky was grey and overcast, the weather rough and windy. With seemingly no land, only endless ocean, she was forced to land her ship on the ruins of the second Death Star itself, vast pieces of the former space station that had somehow managed to survive the explosion and plummet through the moon’s atmosphere. Now these sat precariously on the ocean, rolling and pitching violently with the motion of the waves. It had been a challenge to land the ship, testing her piloting skills to the limit, but she had made it.  
Breathing deeply to calm herself, Rey tried not to think about how she had betrayed her friends, and the Resistance by taking the ship without asking. Hopefully they would forgive her when she returned with the holocron, something deep inside telling her that she was doing the right thing. Whatever the source of darkness was in the Unknown Regions, she had to find it, and destroy it; to bring balance. Otherwise, the never-ending cycle of good versus evil that had arisen with the formation of the Empire would only continue. She knew she had not communicated this well to Poe and the others, but she blamed that on her exhaustion. She would have liked nothing better than to rest on Ajan Kloss, to eat proper food (instead of the spare ration bar she had found in her ship) and sleep in a proper bed (rather than the quick nap she’d had whilst in hyperspace) but her fear that Kylo Ren would reach Kef Bir first spurred her on. Rey was not even sure why she was so determined to get there before Ben, and if she had been properly rested she would have seen it for the irrational fear that it was. But in her tired and emotional state, she relied on her instincts, instincts that she did not know were being preyed on by the dark forces that had crept into her and found purchase.  
Climbing out of the X-Wing, Rey was immediately hit by a blast of cold, salty water that drenched her to the bone. Cold and shivering, she ran as quickly as she could towards the largest part of the ruin, climbing over cannon swivels and gunning platforms until she reached the entrance to what had once been a hangar bay.  
Grabbing hold of a ledge, she pulled herself up and climbed inside. The silence in what had once been a hive of activity was chilling. Rubbish lay everywhere, most of it in freezing water, rusting and rotting away. Around her, Rey could see the remains of TIE fighters, their wings prone on the floor like the skeletons of gigantic, extinct birds. Helmets and armour were strewn about, washed into large piles or floating on the water, although mercifully there appeared to be no bodies. As she walked cautiously through the mess, she heard hissing and cawing coming from above. Looking up she saw strange birds hiding in the girders that had once supported the ceiling. They were thin and emaciated with leathery wings, staring at her with their small beady eyes. She shivered, not just because she was cold or because of the birds but because the dark side energy in the ruins was palpable. She could feel it all around her, a malign presence that lurked in the corners, watching and waiting for the right moment to strike.  
For hours, Rey walked through empty, echoing corridors, following her instincts, using her body and mind as a conduit for the Force. The presence of darkness made this risky but she had no other option; the recording had not made it clear where the holocron had been hidden, only that it was in the Emperor’s Vault. And something was drawing on her through the ruins. Whispered voices that she could only just grasp, a feeling that pulled her onwards.  
Most of the ruins were filled with water and Rey quickly had to get used to being continually wet. It seemed peculiar to her, coming from a desert planet like Jakku, that an abundance of water could be as much as a problem as a lack of water. But this water was not pleasant, it was salty and sour, dripping from the ceiling and running through the corridors. Where the walls had fallen in, the violent surge of the tide threw water in constantly, the spray often catching her unawares as she made her way through the long corridors.  
Eventually, she came to a vast stretch of water, water she had to wade through to get to the opposite side. Gingerly she stared down into it. Swimming was not her strong point, as she had found out when inside the mirror cave on Ahch-To, and she was relieved to see that the water would at most reach the height of her waist. Seeing nothing in the water but helmets and girders, she slowly lowered herself into it, feeling the cold rush as the water swirled around her, seeping through her clothes and into her boots.  
‘Urgh,’ she groaned out loud, forcing herself to think of hot showers and warm rain.  
Pushing herself forward, she sloshed through the water, concentrating on her destination. The holocron. Trying not to stumble on the rubbish hidden in the murky water.   
From her left came the sound of water rippling. Startled, she looked over to where she could see circles spreading out towards her. Something was down below. Putting her hand onto her lightsaber, she hoped that the water would not unduly affect the mechanism. Reaching into the Force she tried to sense what was under the water. Eventually she felt it, something lived in the water and had been living there a long time. It was hungry, annoyed that she had entered its domain.  
Moving slowly, Rey kept her guard up, looking for small signs of life. Walking forward, she felt something move past her leg. Something long and sinuous. Reaching out to the creature, she tried to communicate with it, to tell it that she meant it no harm. But it had no effect. The creature was angry. It wanted her gone.  
Then, rising up in front of her was its head, a huge scaly dome with a mouth full of wickedly sharp teeth. Two sickly yellow eyes, one either side of its snout, glared at her, its wide nostrils flaring as it prepared to attack. Raising her hand, Rey tried one more time to connect to the creature, trying to understand why it felt threatened by her. Perhaps it had never met a human before in these lonely, dank halls? But there was no curiosity or desire to know what she was. The creature’s brain was focused on one thing only and that was to kill whatever it was that had come into its refuge. It was a true creature of the dark.  
Grabbing her lightsaber, Rey ignited it as the creature’s mouth came towards her, striking out and hitting it on the snout with the blade. The creature roared in pain and thrashed in the water, hitting her hard with its tail. Dropping her lightsaber, Rey fell, the water filling her mouth and making her gag. Coughing, she tried to get up but the creature capitalised on her disadvantage, wrapping the thick coils of its tail around her, pulling her under again. Rey struggled as the creature wrapped itself around her, tighter and tighter, trying to suffocate her. Holding out her hand, she called for her lightsaber and it flew out of the water and into her palm. Lighting it, she struck the creature with the blade, trying to force it to release her. The creature screamed in terror as the laser sizzled its flesh but its response was not to let her go but to tighten its hold on her all the more. Gasping for breath, Rey increased her attack but it had no effect and she began to panic, feeling trapped. She could feel the fear rising in her. But it didn’t make her feel weaker, it made her feel stronger. Grasping hold of it, she pushed out with the Force, pushing against the creature’s coils, willing it to let go of her. The creature resisted at first but she tried again, forcing the thing to capitulate to her demands. Finally it started to let go, the coils loosening. It was time to strike. Pushing herself upwards, she leapt high into the air, freeing herself of the coils and the water, raising her lightsaber and, as gravity took its effect, bringing it down hard into the creature’s brain.  
The creature’s death throes were terrible. It thrashed around in the water, screaming in pain, pulling Rey along with it as she struggled to remove the weapon from its head. Several times she was dunked into the water as she tried to disentangle herself, the creature’s tail whipping her around, filling her mouth with water and making it hard to breathe. Just as she thought she would drown along with it, finally the creature stopped thrashing, its huge tail still in the water. Pulling her lightsaber out from its head, an exhausted Rey climbed out of the water onto a ledge to rest. She was soaked in the creature’s thick blood but she hardly noticed. As the adrenaline faded away, she realised what she had done. She hadn’t wanted to kill the creature but she had allowed her instincts to take over, to extinguish life rather than seek a peaceful resolution. It was then and there she decided that she could never be a Jedi. The anger inside her was too strong. Like Ben, she had gone too far into the darkness and there was no turning back. But when had the darkness claimed her? She did not know exactly but perhaps it had been when she had killed Ochi. She had called on the darkness inside of her then, too.  
‘I’m sorry, Luke and Leia,’ she whispered. She felt like she had let them down, but even more than that, she had let herself down.  
But you were never meant to be part of their story, whispered a voice deep inside her. You need to find your own path.  
She did not know where the voice came from, she did not know if she could trust it. But she wanted to. Sat on the ledge, drying out, Rey made the decision that she would continue her mission for now. She would find the holocron and claim it for the Resistance. She would help them to defeat the First Order in any way that she could. But after that… she would take her own journey, to find out who she was, and what she was capable of. But she had made her mind up about one thing. The Jedi path was not for her.  
Making sure her lightsaber was back on her belt, she got up and continued her journey into the Death Star, her robes clinging to her damply. The birds seem to respect her more now that she had killed the water creature, and they no longer hissed at her as she walked past.  
Climbing up a tall pillar, she stopped to get her bearings. She had come far into the depths of the ruins but she was still nowhere near her goal. The thrum of the dark side energy was growing stronger all the time, leading her towards the remains of yet another corridor, high above her. Steeling herself, she used the pillar as a lever to propel herself forwards and upwards, throwing herself towards the lip of a former doorway. Just at the right moment, she grabbed hold of a small ledge, grasping it tightly with her fingers. Straining, she held on with all her might, trying to find purchase with her feet. Slowly, slowly, she inched her way upwards until she was level with the corridor and she collapsed into it, her limbs shaking with the effort.  
The upper levels of the ruins were quieter than those below. Rey could still hear the ocean churning outside but it was fainter; the wind only murmured through the corridors here, scattering piles of rubbish into new and messy shapes. With the sounds of nature diminished, she started to hear the whispers more clearly. The voices murmured at the edges of her consciousness, becoming more and more distinct the closer she moved towards her goal. Like all the voices in her head of late, they told her that she was suffering. That she was alone. That they, and only they, knew what she needed.  
At the end of the corridor was an archway, leading into a large chamber. Beside it were the remains of elevators; looking down, she saw seawater lapping at the bottom of the long shafts. Shivering with fear and cold, Rey passed underneath the archway to find herself on a platform suspended above the ocean, a bridge leading across a chasm towards a large, circular room, lit by broken windows.  
What is this place?  
Crossing the bridge, she looked about her. The chamber had been impressive once but now, like the rest of the Death Star, it was ruined and desolate. Rubbish lay everywhere; long girders bent and twisted by some unknown force, lay alongside broken window panes and bits of twisted metal and plastic. Yet one feature had, bizarrely, endured. Right at the back of the room, up the remains of a flight of stairs, was a large chair sat in front of one of the windows and riveted to the floor.   
Shaking, Rey could feel the source of the dark side energy was in this room. As she climbed the stairs slowly, heading towards the chair, her ears picked up faint sounds. Sounds of conflict, of lightsabers clashing. A deep cackle. Strained breathing, as if filtered through a mechanical mask. Then her vision blurred and she was transported to another time. A cloaked figure was sat in the chair, watching intently as two warriors battled it out in front of him… Sidious… before him, a Jedi, dressed in black, his gloved hand a reminder of his failure… Luke… a Sith, more machine than man, held together by anger and deep, deep fear… Vader… As she watched she could see the cloaked being laughing, revelling in the hate and anger unleashed before him. Then the vision faded and the chamber was silent once more.  
Until a voice whispered, Exegol.  
Without quite knowing why, she knew that the holocron was somewhere in this room. Instinctively she knew that the Force had led her here for that purpose.  
Still reeling from her vision, Rey looked around, searching for clues that might lead her to the holocron. But the room refused to yield up its secrets and after an hour or more of sifting through rubbish and banging on wall panels, Rey was no closer to her goal. There were no secret panels, no hidden doors. She was ready to give up.  
Before she left, she decided to look at the chair one more time. Previously, she had given it a cursory glance but nothing more. Going over to it, she realised how tired she was. Would it hurt to sit down for a moment? The memory of the cloaked figure made her feel uneasy, but she was too exhausted to care. Cautiously, she sat down, anxious it might trigger more horrifying visions, but nothing happened. Then, she had a sudden idea. Gently, she ran her hands over the chair seats, looking for hidden switches or levers. As she ran her fingers over the inside of the left side, suddenly she heard a faint click. Finally!  
Getting up again, it took her a while to see that, beneath the stairs, one of the panels in the floor was raised higher compared to the others. Climbing down to it, she saw that the panel had once been flush with the ones next to it, making it impossible to find. Inserting her fingers into the crack beneath it, she prised the panel open to reveal another small chamber below, suspended beneath the floor.  
Taking out her lightsaber, she lowered herself carefully into the hole and dropped down.   
Igniting her weapon, she found herself in a small, square-shaped vault. Unlike the rest of the Death Star, the vault had not been ruined by the destructive power of the water and air. Once it had been a chamber of relics, similar to the one she had found in the Emperor’s Observatory, but like the Observatory, the cases had long been emptied of their contents. Except for one thing; in the middle of a tall pillar, suspended in an energy field, she saw the holocron. Snoke’s holocron, where Ochi had put it for safe-keeping. It was the perfect hiding place. For who would ever think of looking in the ruins of the Death Star to find it?  
Reaching in, she took it out to examine it. It was triangular, made of transparent glass-like material. Inside were symbols and shapes of many colours, shifting and changing as she looked into it. But she did not know how to open it, and despite shaking it, and turning it, she could not get it to reveal its secrets. What it contained, and why Snoke had ordered Ochi to hide it here, would remain a mystery for the time being.  
Still, Rey had found what she was looking for. She was thinking about how she could climb out of the chamber, when suddenly, her lightsaber deactivated and she was plunged into darkness. A terrible silence descended upon her. All she could hear was the violent beating of her heart. The tension was so unbearable, she felt sick with anxiety.  
Then she heard a voice from behind her.  
‘Rey.’  
It was soft, wheedling. It sounded like her voice.  
Turning around, a new vision opened up before her. She was stood on the same desolate wasteland that she had dreamt about before, looking at the great throne with its jagged spikes. Sitting on the throne was her, or rather, a dark version of her, clothed all in black, her pale face staring out of a hood. But there was also another presence. She could feel he was there too, although she could not see him yet.  
‘Come closer,’ said the vision on the throne, beckoning her forward with a pale hand. When Rey did not move, the woman smiled. ‘Poor Rey, so lost, so lonely. You keep trying to find yourself. But you can’t, can you? No one knows what you need. Not Ben. Not Finn. Not the rest of your so-called friends. But I know what you need.’  
‘You do?’ Her voice sounded weak and fragile compared to the confidence of the girl on the throne.  
‘I’ve been on your journey,’ the dark version of her continued, gazing at her. ‘I’ve been through your struggles. I’ve seen the choices you’ve had to make.’  
‘And this… this is the right choice?’ Rey trembled. Perhaps she represented the darkness in the dyad, not Ben.  
‘Yes,’ said the vision soothingly. ‘But first there’s something you must do.’  
A figure emerged from behind the throne. It was Ben, or rather it was Kylo Ren. There was no sympathy in his eyes, only coldness and hate. He walked towards her menacingly, his lightsaber ignited. The volatile red blade crackling and humming.  
‘No,’ whispered Rey. For immediately she knew what she had to do.  
‘He is your nemesis,’ the dark-clad woman continued, a wicked smile lighting up her pale, sharply-drawn features. ‘Destroy him. While he lives, you will never find your true self.’  
Rey wanted to say no, to shout stop, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she found herself focused on Kylo as he advanced towards her, staring at her with murderous intent. Knowing she had no other choice, she put up her lightsaber and ignited it, just as he reached her and attacked her ferociously. It was like no fight she had experienced before. It made her realise how much Kylo had held back in their real altercations. Yes he had pushed her but he had never wanted to kill her. He had wanted to prepare her, to help her find her strength. This Kylo wanted nothing except to exterminate her. And it hurt. Physically and emotionally.  
Finally she understood what Luke had meant about the raw power he had seen in Ben. It swamped her, his raging anger and fear consuming the Force around them. She had to draw on every ounce of strength she had just to keep him at bay. He was wild, un-contained and he beat her back effortlessly when she tried to attack. But as they fought, she started to see that he was making mistakes. He was undisciplined, letting his rage control him rather than controlling it. Oh Ben… The realisation gave her confidence. She relaxed into the fight, following her instincts, letting the Force guide her as she had done in the forest on Starkiller Base. Soon the fight was turning around in her favour.  
Then it happened. Kylo over-reached himself and she saw the chance to overpower him. Knocking his lightsaber away, she kicked at him hard, sending him crashing to the ground.  
He was at her mercy. He stared up at her with big, wounded eyes as she held the lightsaber over him. She had been prevented from killing him in the forest. Could she do it now?  
Yes. You must.  
Raising the lightsaber high, she brought it down towards his chest… only to find herself back in the ruins of the Death Star, staring at the chair, the faint roar of the ocean below. She gasped for breath, finding it hard to get air into her lungs. Retching, she vomited copiously, not caring where the liquid fell, even if it splattered all over her clothes. Most of it was sea water and bile, the acid burning her throat and mouth.  
When she had finished, she wiped her mouth on her sleeve. Now she could breathe again, and she stayed, slumped against the chair seat, waiting until she felt calm. It was then that she realised the holocron was missing. It was not in her hand, or in her bag. Had she even found it?  
Getting up, she almost collided with Ben, who had been standing silently behind her. Startled, she took a step back. He was watching her curiously. In his hand was the holocron. ‘How long have you been here?’  
‘Rey…’  
‘Get away from me!’ She cut him off, afraid that her vision would come true. That they would be forced to fight each other. That she would do what Luke had been unable to do.  
‘It’s okay,’ he said gently, seeing she was upset, wondering if he could diffuse the situation. ‘I’ve left the First Order…’  
‘I said, get away!’ she shouted, backing away even further from him. The heat was rising in her head, she was so very afraid of what she might do. ‘You have to stay away from me. It’s not safe!’  
‘Rey, listen.’  
‘Please Ben.’ She was crying, she wanted to talk to him, to explain what had happened. But she was too afraid of the anger inside her. ‘You have to leave. Put the holocron down and leave.’  
Confused by the conflicting emotions he felt in her, Ben stayed where he was. In his mind, it would be worse to leave her in this state. ‘Tell me what’s happened.’  
‘I can’t.’ He was trying to help her but she didn’t want his help. Firmly she said again, ’Put the holocron down and leave.’  
‘But I came here for you,’ insisted Ben, paralysed by his own emotions. ‘To say goodbye.’  
‘Goodbye?’ That confused her. It had not been that long ago when he had begged her to go to Exegol with him. ‘Where are you going?’  
‘I don’t know. Anywhere.’ He wanted to say, you could come too, but the words hung on the air, unsaid. He could see that she was calming down and he inched closer to her, ‘Before I go, I want to say sorry.’  
‘What for?’   
‘Everything.’  
Don’t listen to him. The voices were back again, more insistent this time. He’s your enemy. He wants to you to think that you’re safe. But you’re not.  
Rey tried to ignore them, to fight them but by now she was too exhausted. Turning her anger and frustration towards Ben, she shouted at him, blaming him for her temptation by the dark side. ‘It’s your fault this is happening!’  
‘Don’t think this way,’ he pleaded with her, seeing the strain she was under. ‘Let me help you.’ Finally, he could see that he was having an impact. She was starting to listen, to calm down. He held out his hand. ’Together we can fight it.’  
He’s lying. The voices reminded her that he would never turn back to the light. That he would only drag her down with him. ‘Give me the holocron.’  
Now it was Ben’s turn to become frustrated. Why was she not listening to him? ‘Rey…’  
‘Give it to me!’ Reaching out her hand, she went to drag it from him using the Force but instead, lightning streamed out of her hand towards him. It hit Ben right in the chest, throwing him down the stairs, the holocron falling out of his hands.  
Horrified, Rey stared at her hands. She wasn’t even aware that she had such power.  
Climbing to his feet. Ben stared up at her, unable to comprehend what had happened. The darkness had claimed her, just as it had claimed him. But even he had never had that power, the power to draw lighting from his hands, and he couldn’t help marvelling at her strength.  
‘This is your fault,’ Rey growled at him, sensing his thoughts. ‘You drove me to this!’  
‘No!’ Ben shouted, his own frustration and anger growing in response to hers. ‘I never wanted this!’  
Drawing her lightsaber, Rey screamed with rage and leapt down the stairs to attack him. At first, Ben did not retaliate but tried to dodge her attacks, leaping away as she swung the yellow blade towards him. Seeing his chance to escape, he ran out of the chamber, heading for the lower sections of the ruins. But Rey did not do as he expected. Rather than letting him go and going back for the holocron, instead she followed him out. Intent on venting her anger and fear through fighting him. The dark side energy was strong here, stronger than he had ever experienced. It had got into her mind and now she was out of control.  
As Ben ran through the crumbling corridors, he started to realise the pain he had put his family through when he had turned. Seeing Rey’s fury, her need to destroy what was painful for her, reminded him of his own struggle with the dark side. He thought back to Rey’s question, has anyone ever come back? Although he had always been fatalistic about his own chances, he had to start believing that it was possible. He had to believe that he could bring Rey back from the brink. But how?  
Love.  
The answer was staring him right in the face. I’m such an idiot.  
But now was not the right time for declarations of love. She was too angry. He had to try and get her to calm down first.  
Coming to the end of the corridor, he found himself staring across a chasm. Far below, the sea rushed in and out, stirring up the rubbish. There was a gantry bridge across it, partially ruined. He did not like his chances but he could hear Rey coming, she was catching up with him, and he had to act fast. Cautiously, he stepped out onto the bridge. Miraculously it held. Slowly, he made his way across it, stepping over the broken sections. It wobbled, and he adjusted his balance to meet it.  
‘Ben!’  
He knew that Rey had caught up with him, had reached the bridge. He did not dare look round.  
‘Why are you running away?’ she shouted, ‘Are you afraid to face the truth?’  
‘What truth?’ Carefully he turned around to face her. He might be an idiot, but he was not a coward.  
‘That you’ve won,’ she said, stepping out onto the bridge, making it sway alarmingly.  
‘How?’ She was not making any sense. He felt like he was losing everything he cared about. ‘How have I won?’  
‘You want me to be like you,’ she accused him, inching her way slowly along, ‘to join you on the dark side!’  
‘No,’ he said emphatically, ‘I love you. As you are.’  
Even as he said the words he knew that it was the wrong time. Rey looked confused by his declaration, that was not what the voices in her head were telling her. But instead of stopping to think, she jumped to the conclusion that he was trying to manipulate her. ‘Liar!’  
Enraged, she raced towards him, her lightsaber raised. The bridge could not take the strain and it snapped, sending them both tumbling down to the submerged floors below. As Rey hit the water, she went under, the water stinging her eyes and mouth until she resurfaced, spluttering and coughing. The water was freezing and she knew she had to keep moving or her limbs could seize up. Looking around, she saw Ben had been swept out into the open sea and was struggling to keep upright in the surging waves. Returning her lightsaber to her belt, she swam after him but it was difficult and, like Ben, she struggled to keep her head above the water. By the time she had reached another of the platforms and hauled herself out, the water streamed off her, her hair plastered to her face.  
Ben was crouched further down on the same platform, vomiting copiously. He had swallowed too much sea water and it immediately came back up, souring his mouth with the salty taste. It was only when he heard the hum of the lightsaber above him that he realised there was no escaping Rey. She was determined to fight him.  
Reluctantly, he ignited his lightsaber, just blocking her attack in time. They fought across the platform, a desperate fight, driven by anger, frustration and despair. They no longer knew why they were fighting, they just wanted to be rid of the destructive feelings they seemed to induce in each other.   
Ben tried to tap into her mind, to find out what was driving her but something was blocking their connection. ‘Stop this, Rey,’ he said to her as they faced each other warily. ‘Before you do something you regret.’  
‘Don’t speak to me about regret,’ shouted Rey, incensed that he was trying to make her feel bad about his own choices. ‘You’re in thrall to the dark side! You’ll never be free of its shadow!’  
Ben did not dispute this. He couldn’t - it was his own, very real fear. ‘And neither will you if you don’t fight it.’  
‘I wouldn’t have to fight it,’ she snarled, advancing towards him again, ‘if it wasn’t for you.’ The voices in her head were reaching a crescendo. Telling her that he had always lied to her, that she couldn’t trust him, that he was a monster. That he had killed everyone that loved him and he would do the same to her. ‘No!’  
She launched another attack but Ben decided he would not fight her anymore. He’d had enough. Mustering all his strength, he brought his blade down hard on hers, forcing her to drop the weapon and sending it skidding across the platform. Then, using the Force, he knocked her to the ground. Rey fell heavily onto the water-soaked platform, staring at him in surprise and loathing. She felt her fear rising. What would he do now?  
Turning off his lightsaber, Ben threw it onto the ground. He knew he was taking a risk but he no longer cared. ‘Rey, listen to me…’  
Seeing her chance, Rey used the Force to grab his lightsaber. The voices goaded her to kill him and this time she gave in to them. Igniting the red blade, it hummed into life as she threw herself forward, forcing the blade deep into Ben’s right side.  
Shocked and appalled, Ben fell backwards to the ground. The pain was agonising but far worse was the terrible gleam he saw in Rey’s eyes. The dark side had won, as he feared it would.  
As the voices, and anger, faded away, Rey suddenly came to her senses. It was as if she had been in a trance and now she was waking up from it. She stared at Ben, slowly realising what she had done. Had she meant to kill him? She didn’t know. Turning off the weapon, Rey dropped it as if it burnt her. ‘Ben?’  
He could not speak, he was concentrating all his efforts on trying to contain the pain, and the damage done by the lightsaber. Their connection had been restored and he could sense that she regretted what she had done, but she had been right, it was his fault. If it hadn’t been for the dyad, if it hadn’t been for her connection to him, it would never have happened. Life had no meaning for him at that moment. He did not care if he lived or died.  
‘Let me help you.’ She tried to look at his wound, but he shook his head.  
‘There’s nothing you can do,’ he said eventually, feeling the chill of the salt water on his face.  
‘Please…’  
‘Just… just leave me here.’  
‘Ben…’  
‘Just go!’ His voice raised slightly; he could barely look at her.  
Rey didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t leave him here but if he wanted her to go, what else could she do? It’s for the best, she told herself. But she needed to know one last thing before she went. Hardly able to see through the tears that mingled with the salt water raining down on her face, she asked tremulously, ‘Did you mean what you said?’  
‘What?’ He shifted uncomfortably as another spasm of pain swept through him.  
‘When you said that you… that you love me.’  
Finally he looked at her. Tears shone in his eyes. ’I’ve never lied to you, Rey.’  
She reached out to him, but either he could not, or would not, respond. Horrified by what she had done, unable to help him, she left him sitting by the edge of the platform. The dark side had called to her and she had given into it. Just as she had feared. Running back to her ship, she flew away from Kef Bir, knowing that she was a danger to herself and to her friends. She could not trust herself. There was no going back to Ajan Kloss now.


	22. Finn and Rose reach Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Master Codebreaker, or MC, in tow, Rose and Finn make it to Coruscant. Using an array of impressive devices developed by MC, they break into the Senate buildings to access the First Order's archive and download a copy. It is not easy and they are chased by the First Order at every turn, but a riot outside the Senate buildings by concerned citizens turns out to be an unexpected help. Rose finds that MC, however, rubs her up the wrong way.

Coming out of hyperspace, Finn glanced warily at the ring of Star Destroyers surrounding Coruscant. It never ceased to amaze him how much firepower the First Order owned. Where had its resources come from? How could it afford to churn out, or purchase, seemingly endless supplies of ships and munitions? The galaxy had caved into its demands because there had been no effective force to counter its power and efficiency, and still now the Resistance was woefully unprepared and under-equipped in comparison. It made him realise how vitally important their mission really was.  
‘Finn?’ Rose was looking at him expectantly.  
‘Huh?’ Finn realised that he must have been staring out of the window. ‘Sorry, I was just thinking.’ He glanced over at the Master Codebreaker. ‘Ready?’  
‘Ready.’ The Master Codebreaker was holding a small device, which he said would be able to pick up any changes to the First Order’s clearance codes. After a minute of studying it, he said to Finn, ‘I can’t pick up any changes.’  
‘Great.’ Pressing several buttons in rapid succession, Finn transmitted the code they had used before to the central ship, the Eternal, to request safe passage through the blockade. All three of them waited with baited breath to see what would happen.  
‘I hope you’ve got fast acceleration on this thing,’ muttered the Master Codebreaker as they drifted towards the ring of Star Destroyers surrounding the planet.  
‘It’ll work,’ said Finn optimistically, but he made sure that the pertinent levers were ready and primed in case they were needed.  
‘You are entitled to pass through the blockade,’ said a voice crisply over the speakers, ‘but your codes are due to expire in less than two hours.’  
‘Dammit,’ said Finn, turning off the channel and wondering if they should abort the mission. ‘What should we do? We’re not going to get out in time.’  
‘We keep going,’ said Rose, seeing Finn wavering and putting her hand on his arm, ‘we need this information. Otherwise our whole plan collapses.’  
‘We’ll find a way out,’ said the Master Codebreaker, in a rare moment of optimism, ‘This device should be able to generate a new code.’  
‘And we’ve got out of plenty of tight spots before,’ Rose pointed out to Finn as they sailed past the Star Destroyers, their gun ports bristling.  
‘You’re right,’ said Finn, trusting that there would always be a way out. ‘Let’s do this.’  
The ship swooped down towards the surface of Coruscant. They were headed for the former centre of government, the location of the Senate, the Chancellor’s office and senatorial suites, but it would have been suicidal to land the ship there. It was the only part of Coruscant that had received any attention from the First Order, where most of the buildings were either relatively intact, having suffered less destruction following the collapse of the Empire, or were in the process of being rebuilt. It was also crawling with stormtroopers and guarded by a ring of AT-M6 machines that were visible from the air.  
As Finn searched for a place to land the ship, the Master Codebreaker explained to Rose that he had not been idle whilst they had been travelling to Coruscant. He had been monitoring the signals from First Order transmissions to calculate the best location from which to try and access the data archive they needed. As part of a hacker and spy network across First Order space that had deposited computers in safe places for the use of their members, he told her that there was one hidden within the Senate building, also one of the most heavily guarded buildings in the city.  
‘Why do we need to be in the Senate?’ asked Rose, ‘can’t we access the archive from outside it?’  
‘It’s complicated,’ said the Master Codebreaker, ‘but the archive itself doesn’t have a physical form, as you know. Its location is actually on the Steadfast, which is currently somewhere in hyperspace. But to get through all the security, and make sure we can’t be traced, we need to access it via a network that is located in the Senate building. The signals will be strongest there too, which equals more chance of success.’  
‘We like to make life hard for ourselves, don’t we?’ remarked Finn as he landed the ship. Following their strategy on Naboo, they parked as far away from their destination as they were able considering the time constraints, hiding the ship in-between some abandoned buildings in the suburbs and hoping that First Order patrols would be less frequent in uninhabited areas.  
‘At least they won’t be looking for our ship,’ remarked Finn as they left the cockpit, ‘that should give us one less thing to worry about.’  
‘Who’s worried?’ sighed Rose, steeling herself against the upcoming task. She had been feeling anxious for so long now she wondered why it was still affecting her.  
Leaving the ship, they made it across a patch of waste-ground, heading for the central districts. The Master Codebreaker knew Coruscant well, as he told Rose, it was his home planet. He had been born a year after the liberation of the city from the Empire; he had never known his father, his mother had been swept up in the sheer joy and celebration of that time, and her relationship had lasted about as long as the party. As the reality of life in a fast-decaying city started to bite, his mother had struggled to keep her wayward son in check, and as soon as he was old enough, he had fallen in with a gang of hackers and criminals, intent on bringing down the New Republic with a mixture of raw, adolescent rage, rebellion and nihilistic ideology. From there, he had honed his skills and craft, finding a natural affinity for decoding the ever-increasing intricacies of digital information.  
‘Why did you hate the Republic so much?’ asked Rose grumpily, not understanding that part of his story.   
‘The restoration of the Republic did us no favours,’ he said as they made their way through the streets. There were a few people here and there, and it was easy to blend in. ‘I mean, look at this place! They made no attempt to stop the violence or mayhem, they abandoned us as soon as they could because they couldn’t stomach its association with the Empire.’  
‘And the First Order have?’ Rose asked, wondering what point he was trying to make.  
The Master Codebreaker shrugged. ‘They started to rebuild it. They tried to reduce the violence and the crime that has this planet in its grip. Okay, it hasn’t worked. But it’s more than the Republic ever did.’  
‘They didn’t have a chance,’ Rose tried to argue, ‘there were so many problems they had to deal with after the fall of the Empire. The corruption, the infighting. Subduing the remnants of the Empire…’  
‘They allowed the rise of the First Order,’ Tym said stubbornly, ‘because they were too focused on bringing the Empire to justice. They did nothing to help those who had suffered - those who were enslaved or exploited. They gave us no reason to care for them, or believe in their cause. The hate remained and the First Order just carried on from where the Empire left off.’  
‘Will you two stop arguing,’ whispered Finn urgently, holding his hand up for quiet. ‘There’s a patrol heading this way - we need to hide!’  
Seeing a narrow gap between two broken-down buildings, they ran down the alley and hid there until the danger had passed. Whilst they waited for the slow moving parade of stormtroopers to file past, Rose had a proper look around at her surroundings. It was true that most of Coruscant had been abandoned; despite the showiness of the central districts, most of the city in reality was broken and neglected buildings, broken glass and rubbish-strewn wasteland. Most of the buildings were covered in graffiti, she could see Resistance symbols and slogans but also pro-Imperial slogans and symbols too. It made her shudder. ‘Why would anyone want a return to the days of the Empire?’  
The Master Codebreaker saw what she was looking at. ‘Because to them it feels safe. Like it or not, no one remembers the Republic. We only remember the Empire.’  
Feeling out of sorts, Rose turned to Finn, who was studying a data-pad. ’How far are we now from the central district?’  
‘Only about five blocks away.’  
The Master Codebreaker looked around them, despair etched on his features. ‘It really is a tragedy what happened to this place. It used to be busy, filled with people. Now it’s only filled with ghosts.’  
‘Is that why you spent all your time in the casino?’ asked Rose, with a flash of insight, ‘to numb the pain?’  
‘I never thought about it that way.’ Ever since he had lost his money, and his title, to Lovey, he hadn’t thought about anything much. For some reason, meeting Rose and Finn was making him realise how empty his life had been. ‘Perhaps you’re right.’  
‘Come on you two, it’s clear,’ said Finn, who was the only one keeping an eye on their surroundings. But he knew that it was important for Rose to get to know the Master Codebreaker, to understand what drove him, what inspired him. It had been the same when they had first met. It was Rose’s way of establishing trust, making herself feel secure that she knew who she was working with. She didn’t have to like the Master Codebreaker at the end of it, but she would know more about who he was. For Finn’s part, he was concentrating on the practicalities of their mission. He wasn’t sure he would get on with the Master Codebreaker, but he clearly had some interesting opinions. There would be time to find out more about them later.  
They encountered no more stormtroopers after the initial patrol and it did not take them long to reach the edges of Monument Plaza, right in the centre of the former government district. It had once been the glorious headquarters of the Republic before it had been repurposed as the centre of the Galactic Empire, but it had clearly seen better days. Bomb damage from the time of the Clone Wars was still evident on the once-elegant facades, other buildings were covered in scaffolding, reminders of the rebuilding campaign that had started under Kylo Ren. Rose wondered if Hux would continue his predecessor’s plans or obliterate all evidence of them. Although she assumed the latter, the building works continued apace.  
Unlike the area they had landed in, Monument Plaza was not empty. A ring of stormtroopers surrounded it, with others patrolling around its perimeter. Close to the former Senate building, two AT-U6s were warily watching a protest that was taking place outside it. There were about two hundred protestors, some holding placards, others chanting and shouting slogans.  
‘I wonder what they’re protesting about?’ asked Finn, staring at the scene in wonder. After the Rebellion’s call had gone unanswered during the Battle of Crait, he had assumed that people had been too scared to protest, to make their voices heard. But here was a crowd of people, human and non-human, doing just that.  
Screwing her eyes up, Rose could just read a few of the placards. ‘They’re calling for greater democracy,’ she said to Finn excitedly. Other placards showed the symbols of the Jedi Order and the Resistance.  
‘I’m surprised they haven’t been blown to smithereens,’ murmured the Master Codebreaker, looking warily at the military might arranged around the plaza.  
‘Something’s emboldened them,’ remarked Finn. Perhaps Kylo Ren’s different style of leadership really had helped in some small way? Perhaps people were beginning to have hope that things would change? That they could stand up to the First Order. ‘Perhaps we can use it to our advantage?’  
‘The entrance is behind the protestors,’ said the Master Codebreaker evenly, ‘so unless we want to join them, perhaps we should look for a back door?’  
‘I think that’s a better idea,’ said Rose nervously, ‘the First Order could change their mind about the protest at any moment.’ The number of stormtroopers arriving in the plaza suggested to Rose that it was already tightening the screws.  
‘Okay.’ Opening up their data-pad, Finn turned on a three-dimensional schematic of the Senate building. ‘This dates from the pre-Empire days,’ he said, ‘but I doubt the layout's changed much since then.’  
They examined the map, looking for additional entry points.  
‘Look here,’ said the Master Codebreaker, noticing a small service door at the back of the building. ‘Perhaps this one will be easier to slip into?’  
‘We need to get round the back first,’ said Rose, as another squadron of troops marched into the plaza, heading towards the entrance of the Senate.  
‘What are they doing?’ asked the Master Codebreaker, surprised to see more troops turning up compared to the relatively small size of the protest.  
‘What the First Order always does,’ said Finn grimly, realising that Rose was right to exercise caution. ‘Destroy anyone or anything that gets in its way. We saw the same happen on Naboo.’  
Making their way carefully along the edge of the square, the three of them kept close to the buildings, hiding in the shadows as much as possible. Fortunately, the troops were focused on the protest and did not notice the three individuals cautiously making their way around to the back of the Senate building.  
‘There’s the door,’ said Rose when they reached the access passageway that ran behind the Senate building. It was unguarded, but there were cameras either side, watching the passage as well as the door, green lights blinking rhythmically.  
‘Let me do this,’ said Finn, fingering his blaster. But the Master Codebreaker stopped him with a firm hand on his arm.  
‘Too risky.’ Instead, the Master Codebreaker fumbled in his bag, ‘Don’t worry I’ve got just the thing. He pulled out a small metal disc, covered in small circuit boards. There was a button in the middle, which he pressed. ‘Scrambles the signals,’ he explained, gesturing towards the cameras; instead of green lights, they were now flashing red. ‘It’ll be safe now.’  
With one last check around, Finn and Rose ran over to the door, followed by the Master Codebreaker. Trying the handle, they found it was open and they went inside, emerging into a long corridor running underneath the Senate proper. A flight of metal stairs led upwards. There was no one around.   
‘This must be the main access corridor,’ said Finn, who was studying the map again. He looked at the Master Codebreaker. ‘Where do we need to go?’  
Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a second device, this time with a small transmitter attached. Pulling the transmitter upwards into position, the Master Codebreaker switched the device on. Immediately the transmitter started to sweep around, looking for a signal.  
‘What’s that?’ asked Rose, interested in all the gadgets he was carrying around with him. They looked crude and home-made, but seemed to be effective. Not for the first time, she wondered at his ability. It seemed wasted on the path he had taken in life.  
‘It’s linked to a receiver in the computer we’re looking for,’ Tym explained, looking closely at the scopes on the device. The tiny needle swung backwards and forwards for a moment, before settling on one of the smaller numbers. A green light flashed weakly. ‘It’s this way.’ He pointed up the stairs.  
‘Then let’s get going.’ Taking out his blaster, Finn led the way upwards. Moving quickly and quietly, they climbed and climbed, going past floor after floor. Most of the building was abandoned, the corridors and hallways strewn with rubbish. Clearly it was not yet included in the rebuilding plans, which suited them very well. It meant that it was more likely to be empty.  
‘I suppose they’ll concentrate on renovating the front first,’ said Rose as they climbed higher and higher, ‘make it look like they’ve done more than they have.’  
‘Hiding the rot behind it.’ It was a good metaphor for the entire First Order.  
‘I think it’s this floor,’ said the Master Codebreaker when they reached the eighteenth level. ‘The signal’s getting stronger.’ The green light was flashing rapidly now.  
Checking that the way ahead was clear, Finn pushed open the door and stepped out into the corridor. Moving cautiously, they saw several offices leading off either side, with large windows that overlooked the streets at the side of Monument Plaza. Most of the doors were wide open, the offices emptied at some point of anything that was valuable.  
The light on the device was flashing so rapidly as to become a blur and the Master Codebreaker halted in front of one of the doorways towards the end of the corridor. ‘It’s in here.’  
With Rose and the Master Codebreaker covering the corridor, Finn stepped inside the office, his blaster at the ready. Sweeping round, he saw that it was empty like all the others, rubbish strewn on the floor. The only furniture was a bank of metal lockers attached to the wall; a quick search revealed that these were also empty.  
‘It’s clear,’ said Finn, motioning the others inside.  
Stepping into the room, the Master Codebreaker followed the signal across the room to a blank piece of wall.  
‘What is he doing?’ Rose murmured to Finn.  
‘I don’t know,’ replied Finn, his nerves tingling. ‘But keep watch will you? In case this building isn’t as empty as we think it is.’  
‘Sure thing.’  
Whilst Rose covered the door, Finn went over to where the Master Codebreaker was examining the blank wall. ‘Found what you need?’  
‘The computer’s hidden behind here,’ said the Master Codebreaker, fiddling with the panels that lined the wall. ‘Help me get these off, will you?’  
‘Sure.’ Putting his blaster away, Finn helped the Master Codebreaker to pull away the panels. They came off easily and sure enough, there was a cupboard built into the wall behind them. Forcing the door open, they found a small computer terminal inside, folded over to protect it from the dirt and dust. Next to the computer, attached to the roof of the cupboard was a small location sensor, flashing away to itself.  
‘Will this work?’ asked Finn, taking it out and handing it over to the Master Codebreaker. He had never seen such a small computer before.  
‘Let’s take look.’ Sitting down on the floor, the Master Codebreaker opened the computer up, revealing a screen and a keyboard. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a small power supply, checking the attachments were suitable for the computer. Plugging it in, he started up the power supply and soon the computer’s lights were flashing green and red, indicating that it was warming up.  
‘Right,’ he said, looking up at Finn, ‘have you got the codes?’  
Finn reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a data-stick. ‘Here you go.’  
‘Thanks.’ Once the computer had started up, the Master Codebreaker used another of his devices to override the security that protected the First Order’s information mainframe.  
Finn wondered how many devices he had in his bag, he seemed to have something for everything. ‘Did you build all these devices yourself?’  
‘More or less.’ Eventually the information flashed up indicating that they could access the First Order’s archive. ‘We’re in,’ said the Master Codebreaker with relief. Plugging the data-stick into the computer, he accessed the correct files and, pressing a button, sat back for a moment.  
Finn watched as reams and reams of information filled the screen. After a while the data slowed down, and the Master Codebreaker started to type, breaking up the codes with streams of numbers. It took him several minutes, until eventually he pressed the keyboard and the information started to change into a series of file names.  
‘This is it,’ said the Master Codebreaker, gesturing to Finn, ‘we’ve got into the First Order’s archive.’  
‘Really?’ Finn looked at the screen in astonishment. There were lists and lists of files, all with meaningless titles made up of long strings of numbers. ‘Which ones do we need?’  
The Master Codebreaker switched the view, opening one of the files on the data-stick. ‘This is a list of the relevant files. Whoever sent you this information did their homework.’   
‘Cool.’ Finn couldn’t imagine any of the senior officers sat at a computer poring over data files, perhaps whoever it was had got one of their minions to do it.  
After checking the amount of storage space on the data-stick, the Master Codebreaker asked Finn, ‘Have you got another one of these? There’s not enough space on this one to hold all the data we need.’  
‘Yeah.’ Searching inside his pockets, Finn pulled out another data-stick and handed it over. ‘Rose has got a spare one too if we need it.’  
‘There’s a lot of information to download,’ muttered the Master Codebreaker, dragging the files into the relevant folder to start the process. ‘Thirty years or so of recruits.’  
‘Has it really been that long?’ Finn wondered just how many recruits the First Order had taken away from their families. The war machine would need an almost endless supply.  
‘It’s going to take nearly an hour to download all these files,’ said the Master Codebreaker. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a data-pad. ‘You might want to have a sit down?’  
Finn went to relieve Rose from corridor duty, but she stayed with him, not sure she wanted to have another conversation with the Master Codebreaker about who was worse, the Republic, Empire or First Order. The hour passed by slowly, but finally the information they needed was downloaded to both data-sticks. Closing the computer, the Master Codebreaker returned it to the cabinet and closed the door. Whilst Rose watched the corridor, Finn tried to put the panels back but they no longer seemed to fit together and he left them on the floor.  
The Master Codebreaker had just finished gathering together all of his devices when Rose suddenly came in and closed the door. ‘Someone’s coming!’  
Finn turned round in alarm. He had not felt anything unusual through the Force. ‘Who?’  
‘Protestors,’ said Rose.   
‘Perhaps they’ve stormed the building?’ suggested the Master Codebreaker.  
‘Or trying to escape from the First Order,’ said Finn grimly.  
‘We need to hide,’ said the Master Codebreaker, looking around. ‘It’s a sure bet the stormtroopers will be after them.’  
‘Does that door lock?’  
‘No,’ said Rose, desperately, ‘and there’s nothing to block it with.’  
Their only option was to hide in the metal lockers at the opposite end of the room. Opening them up, Finn climbed in, followed by Rose and the Master Codebreaker. Closing the door as best they could, they listened to what was happening outside. For a while there was the sound of shouting, footsteps running past. Then it went silent.  
In the darkness, Rose breathed slowly to calm herself, her anxiety levels at breaking point. Then, she felt warm, soft fingers searching for hers. Looking round she saw Finn; although he was outwardly calm she could see fear in his eyes. Gratefully, she grasped his hand, feeling better to know he was there. He smiled, squeezing her hand reassuringly in return.   
From outside, they could hear the tramp, tramp, tramp of boots coming down the corridor, the sound of doors being flung back and the smashing of glass.  
‘Here come the troops,’ muttered the Master Codebreaker, trying to move as far back as possible into the locker, his eyes wide with fear.  
They could hear pounding on the door. ‘Open up!’  
Then the door was pushed open. Terrified, Rose kept her hand on her blaster, ready for the cupboard doors to be ripped away. Beside her, Finn had his lightsaber ready.  
‘Sir.’ From outside they heard one of the stormtroopers. ‘We’ve spotted the protestors, level six.’  
‘Get after them!’ There was the sound of boots quickly marching, heading out of the room and then dying away.  
They waited for a significant amount of time, hardly daring to breathe. Then, remembering his training, Finn reached out with the Force, trying to create a mental picture of the room outside. He could not sense anyone, it felt calm, peaceful. Nonetheless he kept his blaster ready, and motioned for Rose to do the same. Unarmed, the Master Codebreaker decided that he would stay in the cupboard until they were certain it was safe.  
Taking a deep breath, Finn pushed open the locker door and peered into the room. ‘It’s clear.’  
‘Thank goodness,’ said Rose, but Finn motioned her to stay there.  
‘I’ll make sure the corridor’s clear,’ he whispered to Rose. Stepping out cautiously, he swept around the room, checking for any scanners or listening devices, and did the same in the corridor. Relaxing, he realised that the stormtroopers had not stayed around long enough to set any up. ‘It’s okay,’ he said to Rose and Tym, ‘you can come out now.’  
Rose emerged from the lockers, nervously clinging to her blaster. ‘I’m sure they’ll be back.’  
‘Yeah, we need to get out. But how?’ Finn went over to the window and looked out. It was a long way down to the ground and there was no scaffolding on this side of the building to help them climb down.  
‘The same way we came in,’ said the Master Codebreaker. ‘You haven’t got a spare weapon, have you?’  
‘Not at the moment,’ Finn apologised, ‘but don’t worry. We’ll get you one.’ Leaving the others for a moment, he went and poked his head outside into the corridor, all his senses tingling. Immediately he saw why. Although the corridor was clear, two stormtroopers were patrolling the stairwell up ahead. When he told this to the Master Codebreaker and Rose, they both looked dismayed.  
‘But it’s the only way out,’ said Rose bravely, steeling herself for the coming fight.  
‘That’s my girl,’ said Finn brightly. He glanced at the Master Codebreaker, who was fiddling listlessly with the fastenings on his bag. ‘Ready?’  
‘This is not my forte,’ he said, sounding ill. ‘I’m a lover, not a fighter.’  
‘Leave the fighting to us then,’ agreed Finn, patting the guy on the shoulder. ‘You keep an eye on our rear.’  
Taking the lead, Finn looked out into the corridor. The two stormtroopers were stood chatting at the end of the corridor, making it easier to sneak up on them. Remembering what Rey had told him, he imagined a cloak of invisibility around himself, shielding him from the attention of the troops up ahead. Cautiously, he crept forward, keeping as close to the side of the corridor as possible. It worked, amazingly, the two stormtroopers did not notice him until he was almost upon them.   
‘Stop!’  
It was a relatively quick and easy operation to subdue them, Finn managing to grab the first Stormtrooper and disarm them, whilst Rose knocked into the other whilst they were distracted. As soon as their blasters were confiscated by the Master Codebreaker, they readily surrendered. Forcing them down onto their knees, Finn had an idea. ‘Strip off,’ he said to the stormtroopers. Their armour would come in useful.  
Whilst Rose watched over the two restrained stormtroopers, now in their underclothes, Finn and the Master Codebreaker got into the borrowed armour. There wasn’t time to try and talk the stormtroopers around to their side, although Rose did tell them that they had been stolen from their families as children and the Resistance were willing to help them find their families if they were interested. Neither of the two men knew what to make of it, so they locked them in a cupboard in one of the nearby offices, Rose hoping that once the information had sunk in, they might tell their colleagues about it. They had to get the message out in every possible way.  
‘Pretend you’re one of the protestors,’ said Finn to Rose, putting his helmet on. Taking her arm, he looked back to the Master Codebreaker, hidden away inside the other helmet. ‘Okay?’  
‘How do they wear these things all day?’ he grumbled, not liking the sensation of having his face completely covered, or the synthetic breathing apparatus. Nervously, he picked up one of the spare blasters.  
‘You’ll get used to it,’ said Finn, feeling anxious now that he was back inside the helmet. He hoped that he would not experience any flashbacks to his own service. Now was not the time for a panic attack. ‘Right, we’re taking Rose, sorry, this protestor for processing on one of the command ships. Just follow my lead and keep quiet.’  
‘Happily,’ said the Master Codebreaker. He felt completely out of his depth, but the shiny new blaster gave him confidence.  
‘Let’s go.’  
They headed back down the stairs, retracing their steps back to the service entrance. At intervals, they bumped into several more stormtroopers, patrolling the lower floors or hanging out in the stairwells. The disguises worked, and almost all of the stormtroopers let them pass without question. Only one stormtrooper asked who Rose was, but seemed happy with the reply that she was one of the protestors, captured on a higher floor.  
‘We found her trying to hide from us in a locker,’ said Finn conversationally, feeling the sweat starting to break out on his forehead.  
‘Yeah? They’re running rampant all over the building,’ the stormtrooper complained, obviously bored and wanting to vent. ‘Never mind, Admiral Griss is here now.’ He nodded at Rose, ‘Are you taking her back to the command ship?’  
‘Yes,’ said Finn, as Rose struggled furiously. ’She’s a live one, we better get going.’  
‘Not such a peaceful protest, after all, was it?’ the stormtrooper laughed, before letting Finn pass.  
When they finally reached the plaza, the stormtrooper’s comments suddenly made brutal sense. At some point in the previous hour, whilst they had been waiting for the data to download, the troops had moved in and the protest had turned into a bloodbath. Dead and injured protestors lay on the ground, some being tended by their friends, others weeping loudly, watched over by heavily armoured stormtroopers. Their banners lay trampled and broken. The plaza was ringed by several AT-M6 and UA-TT walkers, protecting the command ship which had landed to the far side, away from the Senate building. There were stormtroopers everywhere. A senior officer, which Finn recognised as Admiral Griss, was walking through the plaza with several of the stormtroopers, no doubt being debriefed on the situation.  
‘The First Order really know how to crush something, don’t they,’ remarked the Master Codebreaker sourly as they walked along. ‘Do they really need this many stormtroopers?’  
‘They’re bastards,’ muttered Finn, concentrating on walking. Although their disguise was useful, he did not know how they would get to where they needed to go without alerting the First Order to their presence. The whole plaza was surrounded.   
‘What’s the plan?’ asked the Master Codebreaker as Finn paused, pretending that he was checking Rose’s non-existent restraints.  
‘Keep to the edge of the buildings. We’ll need to make a run for it at some point.’ Beside him, he could feel Rose already tensing up in readiness.  
‘You’re kidding me.’ The Master Codebreaker had never felt so scared in all his life now that he was faced with the stark reality of the First Order’s military machine.  
‘Just be ready.’ Finn started walking, trying to give the impression that he was the most confident stormtrooper in the galaxy. To show any hesitation or nervousness now would get them all killed.  
The street they needed was about five blocks up ahead, in-between two of the UA-TT walkers that glowered menacingly at the edges of the plaza. There were several groups of stormtroopers to walk past on the way, but the street itself was unguarded. As they marched past, the stormtroopers gave them little more than a cursory glance, Finn sensing that they readily accepted their disguise. ‘We’re nearly there,’ he said to the Master Codebreaker, just before the turning for their street appeared, ‘get ready to run.’  
‘Right,’ he tightened his grip on his blaster.  
The turning was just yards away now.   
‘Hey soldier,’ came a voice from just up ahead. It was another pair of stormtroopers, coming to see what Finn was doing. ’Where are you taking her?’  
Dammit. They were almost there. Trying to relax, Finn replied, ‘To the command ship.’  
‘Has no one told you?’ asked the new trooper, ‘there’s a holding cell set up inside the Senate building for protesters. They’re being processed in there.’  
‘Now you tell us,’ sighed Finn, pretending to be annoyed, ‘we’ve just come all the way out here!’  
‘You should have been notified of the change in orders,’ said the stormtrooper, clearly suspicious of them both. ‘What’s your operating number…?’  
But he didn’t get to finish his sentence. Finn shot him dead in the chest, whilst Rose killed his companion.   
‘Run!’  
‘Why did I agree to this?’ The Master Codebreaker ran after Finn and Rose, hampered by his armour and, more seriously, by a lack of proper exercise. It was not long before his lungs were straining and his limbs aching.  
‘Get after them!’ Several stormtroopers set off after them in hot pursuit, one staying behind to alert the First Order of the rogue trio.  
‘We need to ditch this armour,’ said Finn to Rose as they pelted down the street, hoping that the Master Codebreaker was keeping up.   
‘Wait. Finn!’  
Turning, Finn saw the Master Codebreaker was lagging behind, pursued by several stormtroopers. ‘Shit!’ Raising his blaster, he shot a few rounds of laser at them and they collapsed onto the ground, injured. ‘Come on,’ Finn shouted, running back to the Master Codebreaker and dragging the poor beleaguered man up the street to where Rose was waiting anxiously.   
‘We need to get inside,’ she said. Looking around wildly, she saw a door hanging off its hinges, behind it, a staircase leading up into some deserted apartment buildings. ‘In there!’  
They ran inside, and headed up the stairs, looking for somewhere to hide. There was rubbish everywhere, and a terrible smell which reminded Rose of urine. Trying not to gag, she led the way upstairs until she saw another open door, leading into an empty apartment. Running inside, she waited until Finn and the Master Codebreaker had joined her, then she banged the door shut. They stood for a moment, panting heavily, waiting to get their breath back.  
‘It’ll take a while for them to search all the apartments,’ she said to Finn, who was busy taking his helmet off.  
‘Good,’ Finn got his helmet off and flung it onto the floor.  
‘Did someone die in here?’ The Master Codebreaker already had his helmet off, and was inspecting the remains of the apartment.  
They had come into a narrow corridor, with doors to the bedroom and bathroom leading off it. Behind them, the apartment opened up into a large living space; this had once been divided into a sitting area and kitchen, with large windows over-looking the street. It may have been nice in its heyday but now it was filled with rubbish, the walls scrawled with graffiti and obscure symbols. There was no furniture except for the burnt-out carcass of a couch, around which several fires had been lit judging by the amount of ash on the floor. The windows were smashed and broken, a tattered flag hanging off one of the sharp edges. Going over to it, Rose peered carefully down into the street. Outside, there were several stormtroopers searching the area, knocking on doors and barging their way into buildings. Scared, she looked over at Finn. ‘They’re searching the street.’  
‘Right.’ Finn started to peel off the rest of his disguise, chucking it onto the floor. ‘We better get moving as soon as we can.’   
The Master Codebreaker did not need any further encouragement, ‘I don’t know how they wear these things.’  
‘You get used to it,’ remarked Finn, chucking the rest of the armour into a corner.  
‘Finn used to be a stormtrooper,’ Rose explained before saying that she would go and keep watch. She thought she remembered seeing a small spy-hole in the door.   
As Rose left the room, the Master Codebreaker turned to Finn. ‘A stormtrooper, huh?’  
‘That’s right.’ Finn wondered how he would take it.  
‘How did you get out?’ The Master Codebreaker did not think less of him, in fact it was the opposite.  
‘By sheer luck. The first time they called me into combat, I knew I couldn’t do what they wanted me to do. I couldn’t kill civilians. There was a Resistance pilot being held by Kylo Ren. I managed to get him out and we piloted a TIE straight out of there.’ He smiled when he remembered the audacity - and stupidity - of his plan.  
‘Really?’ The Master Codebreaker looked at Finn with even greater admiration. ‘There’s not many who could have pulled a fast one over Kylo Ren.’  
‘No, he didn’t like it, that’s for sure.’ Finn thought about the scars on his back, the result of his one and only fight with the dark warrior. He went over to the window, ‘Wait a minute. They’re coming in.’  
‘Who are?’  
‘Stormtroopers.’  
Already they could hear that steady thud, thud, thud of footsteps marching up the stairs.  
‘What do we do?’ Rose had secured the door as best she could but there was not much of a lock.  
‘Keep it open,’ said Finn, thinking on his feet. ‘Make it look like it’s empty.’  
‘Right.’  
At Finn’s suggestion, they hid the armour as best they could underneath the rubbish and piled into the former bathroom, the smallest room leading off the entrance corridor. Both the bath and sink had been ripped out, but the smell coming from the broken and blocked toilet in the corner was astonishingly bad.  
‘If they come in,’ whispered Finn, trying very hard not to use his nose, ‘we get the hell out of here.’  
Both Rose and the Master Codebreaker, hands clamped over their mouth and nose, nodded.  
They waited in silence, listening intently to what was going on outside. It was not long before they heard the sound of boots on the concrete floor, doors being opened, and indignant voices. Clearly there were still people living in the building despite its ruinous state. Then the footsteps reached their door. They could hear the squeak of the hinges as it was pushed open.  
‘Anyone in there?’ The stern voice sounded very loud in the echoing apartment.  
Footsteps echoed in the hall and all around the apartment. ‘It’s empty.’  
‘What a dump.’  
The footsteps faded away, and, after a suitable amount of time, Finn allowed himself to breathe. ‘Let’s get out of here.’  
‘Should we look for a back door?’ asked Rose as they hurried out into the corridor. There was no sign of any stormtroopers, or residents.  
‘No, it’s fine,’ said Finn, putting his blaster into his belt. ‘We’re just three friends out for a stroll.’ Only Rose would be known to the troops searching for them, but hopefully they could fudge it somehow.  
Coming out onto the street, they flittered up the road cautiously, expecting to be stopped and questioned. But the stormtroopers they went past did not give them a second glance. Groups of citizens were out on the street, looking in the shops, meeting friends; life went on as normal. Finn and his friends did their best to fit in with what was going on around them.  
Eventually they reached the district where they had left their ship, and Finn had never felt so relieved. ’Am I glad to see you!’ he said to their ship, pressing the button that would lower the gangplank.  
‘We’re not out yet,’ said Rose, following him onto the ship. ‘We’ve still got to get past the blockade.’  
Rummaging in his bag, the Master Codebreaker pulled out two small devices. ‘If the code generator doesn’t work, this should scramble their transmissions enough to let us get past,’ he said, handing it to Finn. ‘It needs wiring into the console.’  
Finn handed it straight to Rose, ‘That’s your department!’  
Whilst Rose headed into the cockpit, Finn got the engines warmed up, making sure that all systems were working properly. He looked over at the Master Codebreaker, ‘You’ve got something for everything in that bag!’  
‘Pretty much,’ he smiled, ‘I’ve had to get myself out of a lot of tight spots.’  
‘And you enjoy that?’ Finn could see a gleam in his eyes.  
‘Hell yeah,’ smiled the Master Codebreaker, ‘it’s what I thrive on.’ But he added, just so Finn understood, ‘Except when it involves stormtroopers.’  
Finn grinned and went to join Rose in the cockpit, where she was finishing off the adaptation to the console. ‘Ready?’  
She smiled. ‘I think so.’ Blue lights were winking gently on the device, which she assumed meant it was working.  
‘Looks good,’ was the Master Codebreaker’s comment when he came to join them. Already he had switched on his other device, watching it closely to see if it would generate any codes to take them through the blockade.  
‘You can be in charge of those,’ instructed Rose, as he took a seat beside her.  
‘Here we go,’ Initiating take-off, Finn released the ship from its supports and slowly lifted into the air. In the next minute, they were streaking away from Coruscant, heading towards the ring of Star Destroyers surrounding the planet.  
Rose swallowed, uncertain. ‘Have you got a code yet?’ Time was running out.  
‘I can’t get anything,’ said the Master Codebreaker in annoyance. He swapped the device for another one from his bag. Pressing it seemed to trigger something in the object attached to the console, making it flash red, then green. ‘This should scramble their scanners,’ he said, ‘we can slip right through without them noticing.’  
‘Sure.’ From talking to Poe, Finn knew that Star Destroyers had plenty of blind spots, as long as you flew fast and low. Keeping the ship going at a steady pace, he set a course that meant they would only be spotted if someone happened to be looking out of the command centre’s window. Hopefully officers would be relying on their supposedly superior scanners, rather than fallible body parts like eyes.  
‘Setting the co-ordinates for lightspeed,’ said Rose, hoping against hope that the Master Codebreaker’s devices would not let them down.  
‘Almost there.’  
The Star Destroyers were getting closer and closer, and every muscle in Finn’s body was telling him to pull up and out. But he kept the ship steady, trusting the Force and the expertise of the Master Codebreaker.  
Still the device flashed green.   
They were right up against the blockade now, sailing low beneath the capital ships. There was no indication that the guns were warming up, or that they had been spotted. Finn allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief.  
The device bleeped and flashed red.  
‘Oh,’ said the Master Codebreaker, pushing the button on his hand-held device again. ‘It’s never done that before.’  
‘What does that mean?’ Finn kept the ship steady, trying not to panic.  
‘They’ve blocked the signal…’  
‘It means they’ve spotted us,’ said Rose flatly, pointing to the scanner as it started to flash red for enemy fighters incoming.  
‘Keep us on track!’  
As Finn manned the cannons, the Master Codebreaker looked over at Rose. ‘Can I help?’  
‘Yes please,’ said Rose, pointing out the various levers and switches. ‘Keep the ship steady whilst I put the co-ordinates into the navicomp. We just need to make it far enough away so we can jump to lightspeed.’  
Finally, Finn was getting on top of the TIEs streaking past their cockpit. ‘How’s it looking?’  
‘Five incoming,’ Rose said, making sure the shields were up to full capacity.  
‘Dammit, I see them,’ Finn checked the target computer, blasting away as soon as the TIEs entered into the scopes. But he found that he barely needed to rely on it anymore, now that he had honed his Force abilities. He reached out, using his instincts instead.  
Looking at the scopes, Rose saw that two fighters had been obliterated. ‘How long until we can make the jump to lightspeed?’ asked the Master Codebreaker, who was watching the scanner keenly.  
‘Five minutes.’  
They just had to hold on. The ship rocked as it was blasted by several of the fighters, ‘Finn?’  
‘I’m on it,’ checking the scopes, Finn aimed the cannons at another fighter, which disappeared into stardust. ‘Two more!’  
‘Keep going,’ Rose shuddered as another direct hit battered the shuttle. A red light started flashing on the console.  
‘That’s the back shield gone,’ said the Master Codebreaker, biting his lip.  
‘Finn, we need to get rid of those fighters now,’ warned Rose. She didn’t dare change trajectory in case she had to redo the calculations for lightspeed, but soon the cockpit was lit up by the explosion of another TIE outside.  
‘One more to go,’ whooped Finn, the adrenaline pumping through him now. The fighter was coming for another pass. Finn lined up the cannons, closed his eyes and when he opened them, the space outside the cockpit was clear again.  
‘Way to go!’ Rose’s excited voice filled the cockpit, ‘You did it!’  
‘We did it,’ Finn wiped the sweat from his brow. ‘You two flew this thing!’  
As the ship accelerated into hyperspace, Rose sat back in her chair, feeling utterly exhausted. But they had made it.   
Finn turned his seat back round towards her, ‘That was close.’  
The Master Codebreaker regarded them in amazement, ‘How did we manage that?’  
‘It was the will of the Force.’ Finn smiled, leaning back in his chair.


	23. Ben Solo returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Left alone and wounded on Kef Bir, Ben Solo has the chance to think properly about his life and where he is going.

Left alone on Kef Bir, Ben had been drifting in and out of consciousness for hours, hovering between life and death. I’ve lost everything, he acknowledged to himself, without a trace of self-pity. He had lost his family, and now Rey, all through his own terrible choices. Yet the Force did not seem finished with him yet, and he wondered why it was keeping him alive. Perhaps death was too easy a way out; perhaps there was still something it needed him to do.  
Mustering up his last remaining strength, he climbed slowly to his feet, feeling light-headed and dizzy from the pain. Still, he gritted his teeth and started to strip off his armour, never wanting to wear it again. Ripping off his cloak, his belt and his padded, outer tunic, he removed all the external vestiges of Kylo Ren. He no longer wanted that name anymore. He would respect his heritage. He would be Ben Solo, the son he should have been from the beginning. But what could he do? Where would he go? The sense of freedom he had felt before was gone. Perhaps it would be better if he stayed here? On this lonely moon. To reflect on where he had gone wrong in his life.  
Feeling weak, he half sat, half fell down again. His vision started to blur and he wondered if it was the end. Mists were encircling him, faint figures forming within it. Staring in wonder he realised that he was surrounded by the spirits of his family. Luke, Leia, Han. They were smiling at him.  
‘Mom? Dad?’ He felt like he was a child again, when his parents had loved him and he had loved them. Until their bond had been corrupted by the dark side, just as it had corrupted his bond with Rey.  
‘Don’t give up, Ben,’ said the spirit of Leia, laying a ghostly hand on his arm. ‘Rey needs you.’  
‘No she doesn’t,’ he said morosely, ‘I only confuse things.’  
‘No, Ben,’ said Luke, ‘the dark side confuses things. Now you’ve returned to the light, the wound between you can heal.’  
‘But Rey’s lost to the dark side. It’s all my fault.’  
‘You haven’t lost her, Ben,’ said Leia, smiling at her son. ‘Only you understand what she’s been through. She needs your help.’  
‘But it’s too late for me,’ said Ben, his eyes wet with tears. ‘After everything I’ve done…’  
‘It’s not too late,’ said Han, laying his hand on his son’s arm beside Leia’s. ‘Snoke manipulated you into thinking there was only one choice you could make. Now you’re free to make your own choices.’  
Another spirit appeared, a noble looking man. His dark blonde hair was swept back from his face, bisected by a long scar that ran down alongside his right eye. Just like Ben’s scar.  
‘We are all made of light and darkness,’ said Anakin, his voice soft yet firm. ‘That is the lesson Luke learned. The darkness inside you was not meant to dominate but Snoke took advantage of it, just as Sidious took advantage of mine. As you once told Rey, there is no need to dwell on the past but we should not obliterate it either. Instead we must learn from it, and grow. Now is your chance, Ben.’  
‘I tried to deny my past when I did not accept Anakin was my father,’ said Leia, ‘I’m sorry, Ben, we should have been honest with you from the start.’  
‘And I turned on you rather than trying to help you,’ said Luke regretfully. ‘For that I am truly sorry. Learn from my mistake, don’t turn your back on Rey.’  
‘But what if I can’t grow,’ sighed Ben. ‘I’ve always been weak.’  
‘It’s not about weakness, Ben,’ said Anakin gently. ‘The darkness pretends to know what we need. That is the danger. It comes for us when we are uncertain and afraid. You need to find yourself, to know who you are and what you believe in. So it can’t ever claim you again.’  
Ben nodded, he did know what he needed. Things that he had denied himself ever since he had allowed the voices in his head to manipulate him. Belonging, love, purpose.  
‘Rey needs you, Ben,’ reiterated Leia, squeezing his arm. ‘The galaxy needs you. Only together will you be able to confront the darkness.’  
When he woke up, he was still on Kef Bir. Alone but filled with a new feeling, something he had never felt before. Hope. As he sat up, he realised that his hand was clenched shut, closed around something tightly. Opening his fingers, he saw his lightsaber crystal lying in his palm. He knew it was his because of its shape and lustre. But instead of being red and cracked, it had healed back to blue.


	24. Finn and Rose return to Ajan Kloss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After dropping off MC at Maz's Castle (which is now a collection of tents and marquees next to the ruined building), Finn and Rose return to Ajan Kloss, where they spend hours creating a searchable database. They test it on Finn, Prue and Jannah, and find out some surprising information about each of their families.

Finn brought the command ship out of hyperspace close to Takodana, heading for the site of Maz’s Castle. It was where the Master Codebreaker had asked to be dropped off.   
‘Wow, this looks different,’ said Rose, staring out the cockpit as they landed the ship close to the castle’s remains, in its beautiful position on the edge of the huge lake surrounded by mountains.   
After it had been more or less reduced to rubble by the First Order, Maz had taken the unprecedented step of replacing her castle with various temporary structures, including a large marquee and several tents. Including a stage for live music, it gave the whole site a never-ending festival-like feel.  
‘Finn! Rose!’ Maz greeted them fondly as soon as she saw them coming into the main tent. The huge structure, made out of yards of colourful canvas, was packed with customers, revealing that her famous hostelry had not diminished in its popularity at all. In fact, the damage done by the First Order had only increased its notoriety, attracting more of those who had been disaffected by the military regime. Oddly, it had not proved to be a risk as Maz had feared. Under Kylo Ren, the First Order had more or less ignored the planet, except for a few sporadic raids which Maz had dealt with in her usual, calm and under-stated way.  
Coming over, the ancient being put her arms out wide, embracing both Rose and Finn tightly. Even Rose had to stoop down low to do it properly.  
‘Great to see you. You got what you needed?’ Here, Maz looked at the Master Codebreaker with a curious expression, but he only smiled in return.  
‘We did,’ agreed Finn, patting the Master Codebreaker on the shoulder. ‘Thanks to this guy.’  
‘I told you he was good,’ said Maz in relief, whilst the Master Codebreaker merely shrugged.  
‘Just doing my job.’ He smiled ruefully, ‘But I didn’t expect I’d have to dress up as a stormtrooper!’  
‘You must tell me more,’ said Maz, looking with pleasure at Finn and Rose. Clearly she was heavily invested in the rehabilitation of the Master Codebreaker, and they wondered what their exact relationship was.  
‘Later, later,’ he muttered, ‘I need a drink.’ He was about to leave, but then he turned back to Finn and Rose. ‘You know, Maz, these guys impressed me. I can’t think of anyone else I would want by my side in a tense situation.’ He smiled sheepishly. ‘I’ll admit that I didn’t give much credit to the Resistance before but having seen these guys in action, well… I’ve changed my mind.’   
Finn raised his eyebrows at Rose, who grinned back. Obviously they had made a good impression.  
‘I’ve got some contacts who, with a little persuasion, might consider helping you in the fight against the First Order,’ he continued, ‘I’ll see what I can do.’  
‘Good,’ said Rose. She was not a massive fan of the Master Codebreaker, but he had knuckled down and, in the end, had been essential to their mission. ‘Get them to contact us and we’ll do the rest.’  
‘I will.’ He saluted them both. ‘Keep safe.’  
‘You too,’ Finn watched him as he wandered off towards the bar, which was surrounded by customers from all corners of the galaxy. Droids included.  
Pleased, Maz raised her eyebrows. ‘You’ve made a mark on him.’  
‘I’m surprised,’ said Rose, stifling a yawn now that she was beginning to relax. ‘He didn’t seem very impressed with us when we were saving his hide on Coruscant!’  
‘Oh, he’s a touch nut to crack,’ admitted Maz, playing with her necklace, ‘and he’s good at rubbing people up the wrong way. But he’s got it where it counts.’ She smiled at them both, ‘Are you staying for a bit? You look like you could use a good meal.’  
‘We should be getting back,’ Rose started to say. She was feeling very grubby and tired after their experiences, and the thought of some food that was likely to be far better than that provided by the Resistance was very, very tempting. ‘But…’ here, she looked over at Finn.  
‘But a decent meal would be gratefully received,’ finished Finn, his stomach growling hungrily at the right moment. Like Rose, he was not keen on flying for another few hours to get back to Ajan Kloss without some sustenance.  
‘Come on then,’ said Maz brightly, gesturing towards an empty table, ‘let me see what I can rustle up for you.’  
By the time Rose and Finn got back on their stolen shuttle, they were warm, fed, and relaxed from the music and good cheer with Maz. She was a delightful host as they had come to expect, filled with interesting stories of derring-do and romance, that had both Finn and Rose in stitches. The food was delicious too, and Maz told them that she was fortunate the First Order had left her alone for long stretches of time, although the change in leadership was bound to bring more changes again. She had been able to re-connect all her former supply, and intelligence, chains to ensure that she could continue to, on the surface, provide an excellent eating and drinking place at the same time as supporting the Resistance. In the end, it was hard for the two rebels to leave but eventually they tore themselves away from the carefree atmosphere of the castle and returned to their ship. As they started the engines, the danger that they had experienced on Coruscant seemed far away, and Finn had to take out the data-sticks to remind himself that they had actually achieved their objective. They had got the information they needed to spark rebellion across the entire First Order.  
By the time Finn and Rose arrived back on Ajan Kloss, Finn was desperate to start exploring the data, but Rose encouraged him to have a good sleep first.   
‘Let’s look at it when we’re fresh,’ she said, not wanting to dampen his enthusiasm but aware that there would be a lot to get through.  
‘Yeah, you’re right,’ said Finn as they left the ship, picking up their belongings on the way. ‘I didn’t realise I was so tired,’ he yawned.  
Making their way to the command centre, Rose and Finn found Poe, Connix and D’Arcy working the night-shift, going over some of the messages that had arrived from the various informers stationed across the galaxy.   
‘Hey you two!’ exclaimed Poe when he saw them, overjoyed to see that they were back safe. Warmly he embraced Rose, then Finn, perhaps holding onto Finn a little longer than necessary, which made Finn feel giddy. ‘Did you get what you needed?’  
‘We did,’ said Rose brightly, noticing how the dark circles under Poe’s eyes seemed to have deepened. He looked exhausted.  
‘All the information we need about the First Order recruits,’ added Finn, still tingling from Poe’s arms around him, the touch of his hands on his shoulders. ‘I think we also made a new recruit!’  
‘Who’s that?’ asked Poe, intrigued. He passed a tired hand over his eyes, thinking that he needed to go and get some more caf.  
‘The Master Codebreaker,’ said Rose, ‘he’s got some contacts that might be able to help us.’   
‘Excellent.’ Rose started yawning, and Poe told her to go to bed. ‘That’s an order!’  
‘Can you make him go too?’ Rose gestured at Finn, who frowned at her. He was too excited about Poe’s overtly affectionate greeting to want to sleep. He wanted to stay with Poe, to feel the thrill of their attraction some more.  
‘You both should.’ Although he wanted nothing more than for Finn to stay and keep him company, he noticed that his friend was looking tired after his recent experiences. ‘Get some rest then we’ll take a look at the data together in the morning.’  
‘Look after these for us, will you?’ Finn handed Poe the precious data-sticks. ‘Don’t peep now!’  
‘I promise,’ said Poe, fixing Finn with his dark eyes. ‘I know how much it means to you. To find out where you come from.’  
‘Yeah.’ Finn felt overcome by a sudden surge of emotions - of uncertainty, fear, excitement. He almost didn’t want to look in case it was disappointing, in case there was nothing about his family in the archive. But he had to believe.  
Poe clapped him on the shoulder. ‘Go and get some sleep, buddy.’  
Going to their quarters, Finn and Rose bid each other goodnight, and it was not long at all until they were both fast asleep.

Finn was up bright and early the next morning, feeling refreshed after a good, deep sleep. Remembering what Rey had told him, he decided to go for a run before breakfast, to keep up his strength and vitality. Rey had said that physical exercise was important to developing a connection with the Force, a healthy body and mind serving to intensify what was possible. As he made his way through the jungle - already alive with a cacophony of bird and animal calls - he thought of Rey, wondering where she was and what she was doing. He hoped that she was okay. It still pained him that he had not persuaded Poe to let him go after her, but then he would not have gone to Coruscant with Rose and the Master Codebreaker. Perhaps things had turned out for the best; he had to trust that Rey knew what she was doing. The Force called to her in a different way to him, after all.  
Feeling better after a shower, he went to the canteen for some breakfast to find Rose sitting with Jannah and Prue. They were talking animatedly together, laughing and joking, and Finn felt a warm sense of friendship developing between them. It made him happy, knowing that despite the hardships of the life that came with belonging to the Resistance, they had something that the First Order would never have. Family.  
‘Here he is,’ said Rose admiringly, as Finn came over with his tray. ‘I was just telling these two about our adventures on Coruscant.’  
‘It sounded terrifying,’ Prue admitted, moving across so that Finn could sit down. ‘Another system directly suffering under the might of the First Order.’  
Finn nodded, ‘And now we’ve got Hux to deal with. I bet he’s only just getting started.’  
‘We heard something about that,’ said Jannah, finishing off her breakfast. ‘Last night from my lot. Supreme Leader Hux wants to base the First Order on Coruscant permanently.’  
‘Why?’ asked Finn, picking at his meal, ‘I thought their intention was to never develop a permanent base in case it became a weakness?’  
‘Perhaps he wants to recreate the Republic?’ said Prue.  
‘More like the Empire,’ Rose corrected her.   
‘Hux’s new Empire.’ Compared to Kylo Ren, Hux was a straightforward prospect. A fanatic, single-minded and obsessive. He would do everything to augment the power and control of the First Order as brutally as his predecessor, Snoke. After all, as rumour had it, it was Hux who had been instrumental in the design, and execution of, Starkiller Base.  
‘You got the information you needed,’ said Prue, trying to turn the conversation to something more positive.   
‘We did,’ said Finn, pleased to focus on something they could all agree was good news. ‘It’s going to take a while to shift through all the information though.’  
‘If you need help going through it, we’re available,’ said Jannah, speaking for her and Prue, who agreed readily.  
‘Thanks,’ said Rose, preparing herself for a long day sat at the computer. ‘Before we do anything we’ll need to set it up as a searchable database. I doubt that it’s organised in a way that’s useful to us.’  
Finishing their breakfast, Rose and Finn headed over to the command centre to start the long-winded job of processing the data from Coruscant. On first inspection it seemed to have all the information they needed; family details including name, home planet, condition and health, age, blood type, even midichlorian count. It also had additional information including the organisation which had delivered the child to the First Order, and their cost, where applicable. This detail made Rose shudder. The idea that the First Order had paid for children to be stolen for them by others - mostly by the most notorious crime syndicates, including Crimson Dawn, Black Sun and the Hutts - was worse in her eyes than the First Order kidnapping children from their families directly. For it revealed that there were others willing to help the First Order, and participate in a terrible trade that was no better than slavery.  
The detail about midichlorian count surprised Finn the most. It was an old-fashioned method of measuring sensitivity to the Force, one which had been used in the days of the Republic. ‘Why would the First Order collect that?’  
Rose looked up from where she had been peering at rows and rows of data on the screen. ‘I don’t know. Perhaps they wanted to know if Force sensitivity affected their recruits in any way?’ She shrugged, ‘Perhaps Snoke wanted to make sure he and Kylo Ren had no competition?’  
That made the most sense to Finn, it did not seem far-fetched to him that Snoke had been trying to eradicate all Force sensitive individuals in the galaxy.  
The remainder of the day was spent sorting the information into a new database, enabling them to search entries by personnel number. It involved checking through the details of thousands upon thousands of individuals, and, as they worked through it, Finn and Rose became acutely aware of the enormity of the First Order’s operation. How many thousands of children taken away from their families over the years that they had risen to power. Purely in terms of monetary expenditure, the cost to the First Order had been huge, not only to obtain the children but to feed them, clothe them, train them, and eventually, equip them.   
‘Where do all their resources come from?’ she asked Finn, rubbing her tired eyes. ‘I thought the Republic managed to confiscate most of the Empire’s funding?’  
‘It’s likely that Palpatine secreted away most of his resources,’ suggested Finn, remembering a conversation he had had with Poe about the same thing. He sighed, thinking of Rey again. ‘Perhaps Rey was right to push about Exegol?’ His shoulders ached from staring at the screen for so long and he leaned back in his chair to ease them. ‘If that’s the source of the First Order’s power and resources we need to get there and cut it off at source. Otherwise we’ll never defeat them.’  
‘I wonder how Rey is,’ said Rose softly, worrying about their friend as much as Finn was. ‘Has anyone heard from her?’  
‘No, not yet,’ said Finn dismally, rubbing his tired eyes and yawning. ‘I hope she’s alright.’  
‘Me too.’  
They worked long into the night, even after Poe had gone to bed, determined to finish the first stage of their task. The first light of a new morning was peeping in through the grubby windows above them when Finn and Rose finally finished the database.   
‘Last one,’ said Rose, too exhausted to be jubilant. Bleary-eyed, she dropped the final entry into place and quickly pressed the command to make a back-up. To lose their work now would be devastating.  
‘Let’s have a quick nap,’ suggested Finn, ‘and something to eat.’ He was too nervous to tackle the next stage, searching the database for his, Jannah’s and Prue’s entries.  
After a quick rest and some refreshments, they were back again at the computer, eager to test the results of their hard labour. Finn felt jittery, all his nerves and senses tingling in anticipation. Trying to quieten his mind, he looked at the data-pad in front of him. ’So who have we got… Jannah is TZ-1719… Prue BP-1347…’  
‘Let’s test it out on Jannah,’ said Rose, entering her details into the database. There was a tense few minutes as the system searched through all possible records. Eventually there was a bleep, two records had been found. Rose clicked on them. ‘Let’s have a look…’ But she stopped, staring at the screen, unable to believe her eyes.  
‘What is it?’ Finn wondered if it was good or bad news for Jannah.  
‘I can’t believe it.’ Her eyes wide, Rose put her finger underneath the important detail, and turned to look at Finn.  
‘Family name, Calrissian,’ Finn read. It took a moment for the information to sink in. ‘Calrissian.’ He repeated, staring at Rose, ‘Jannah is… Lando’s kid?’  
‘Looks like it,’ said Rose excitedly. ‘We’ll need to check with Lando but she’d be around the right age. How old did he say his little one was when she was taken?’  
‘Eight or nine months, I think.’   
Rose gasped. ‘This says Jannah was nine months old when she was taken.’  
Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes, tears of happiness for his friend. The more he thought about it, the more Finn was amazed by the database they had in their hands. The power they held. It could restore someone’s identity, reveal their background and their family name in one click. Tell them who they were. It was only data, mere numbers and letters on a screen, but it could mean so much to some who had no other knowledge of their identity.  
‘Are you okay?’ Rose patted his shoulder, knowing it was an important moment for him.  
‘Yeah,’ he said, smiling, reaching up to take her hand. ‘It’s the power of this information… to tell someone who they are. Where they come from. Where they belong.’  
Noting down the relevant information on a data-pad for Jannah, they looked up Prue’s information, which revealed that she had been born on Riosa. Finn was about to go and find both women to tell them the good news, when Rose asked him, ‘Don’t you want to look yourself up?’  
He sat back down again. ‘Yeah, sure.’ He felt sick with anticipation, wondering what he would find out.  
Rubbing his arm to comfort him, Rose entered his identification number, FN-2187. Two records flashed up on screen and Rose clicked on the first one. The record opened up on screen.  
Family name: Danu  
Home Planet: Kuat  
Finn couldn’t read any more. He was too excited. ‘Kuat.’ It seemed strange that only a few days ago, he had been on his home planet.  
‘Yes,’ said Rose, almost squealing in excitement. ‘That’s your home!’  
‘It doesn’t change much,’ said Finn quickly, not wanting to forget that since he had left the First Order, he had found his family with the Resistance. This new information gave him a sense of where he had come from, but that was all. ‘They might not even want to meet me, or have anything to do with me. And that’s okay. My family is here.’  
‘Danu, Danu,’ murmured Rose. ‘I know that name.’  
‘Never heard of it.’ Finn returned to the information on his record, when Rose suddenly said, ’Giddean Danu. Of course!’  
‘Who’s Giddean Danu?’ asked Finn.  
‘He was one of the senators that founded the Alliance to restore the Republic, what became the Rebel Alliance,’ said Rose excitedly, ‘with Mon Mothma and Padme Naberrie, who was Leia’s mom.’ Her eyes grew even wider, ‘If you’re related to him, then no wonder you rebelled against the First Order. Rebellion is in your blood!’  
‘What happened to him?’  
‘It wasn’t good,’ said Rose, her enthusiasm dampening a little, ‘he was executed on the orders of the Empire.’  
‘Poor guy.’ He tried out his new name, ‘Finn Danu. What do you think?’  
‘Sounds good.’ Unable to help herself, Rose reached out and embraced Finn tightly, pleased when he pulled her in close. ‘I’m so happy for you!’  
There was more hugs and tears later when Finn went to find Jannah and Prue, who were working with Lando on a strategy to try and get more of the galaxy’s underworld involved in the struggle against the First Order. Poe and Lando had talked for a long time about the role of criminals in the history of the First Order’s rise to power and how the smaller outfits - the pirates, scoundrels, smugglers and spice runners of Lando’s old acquaintance - had suffered under the domination of the crime syndicates. Poe had decided that despite the risk to the Resistance’s reputation, he was not too proud to ask for help from unexpected quarters. The evidence they had from Threepio’s network, and the information from Lothal, pointed to untapped reservoirs of support if only they could find the right way in.  
‘Hey kid,’ said Lando, when Finn eventually found them. They were in one of the small relaxation rooms, Lando insisting that his old and tired body needed comfortable chairs to sit on. ‘What’s up?’  
Without saying anything, Finn merely handed the data-pad to Jannah. Then he smiled at Prue, ‘You might want to take a look at it too.’  
‘Oh my,’ gasped Prue, immediately realising the importance of what Finn had brought them. She knew what he and Rose had been up to for the past day and night.  
‘What’s this?’ Jannah felt a mixture of excitement and fear. The data-pad stayed in her hand, un-read.  
‘Information from the First Order’s database. About you,’ said Finn, taking a seat next to Lando.  
‘Well, come on kid,’ urged Lando, when Jannah still was hesitant, ‘let’s have a look at where you come from.’  
As she glanced down the screen, Jannah’s face changed from one of uncertainty to one of reassurance, then open excitement. Wordlessly, she passed the data-pad to Lando. For a moment, he peered at the screen. Then he rubbed his eyes. ‘Am I reading this right?’  
‘Hello… Dad?’ said Jannah, tears running down her cheeks.  
‘My baby girl,’ said Lando emotionally, hardly able to believe that his greatest wish had come true. After years and years of fruitless searching, of never giving up hope that they would one day be reunited, he had found his missing daughter. Opening up his arms, he welcomed Jannah into a warm embrace, holding her close and stroking her hair, as they cried together. Soon Finn and Prue were wiping away their own tears, moved by the happiness, as well as the poignancy, of their reunion.  
‘I can’t believe,’ sobbed Jannah, knowing it was more than luck that had brought them back together. It had been the will of the Force.  
Seeing that Jannah and Lando needed time to get to know each properly after years apart, Finn and Prue snuck out. Finding out about her family was less emotional for Prue; like Finn, she had no connection with her home planet and felt closer to the family she had made with her former First Order squadron. But like Finn, it intrigued her to think that after the war, she could seek out her family if she desired it. They celebrated this fact later with Rose over another disappointing canteen meal. They were no longer lost children. Now they were found.


	25. Adrift on Ahch-To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey goes to Ahch-To, thinking that she is a danger to everyone. Wanting to be a hermit like Luke, she is surprised when Luke turns up to put her off the idea. Then Ben turns up, wounded, and she has a better idea.

Finally the island of Ahch-To came into view and Rey began to feel better. She had been trying not to cry ever since she had left Kef Bir, but seeing the familiar archipelago with its tall jagged cliffs and green sward gave her a sense of relief, however fleeting it might be. She knew that she would miss her friends. However, what was more important was keeping herself away from them until she had begun to work through the fear and anger that was making her susceptible to the dark side of the Force. It had been creeping up on her for a long time but on the Death Star she had gone too far. She had killed the sea creature and she had nearly killed Ben. Some time alone, in solitude, would be just what she needed, to reflect on how she could come to terms with the darkness inside of her. Although she was still convinced that the Jedi life was not for her, there were parts of its philosophy that she could use. To heal.  
Landing the ship on the flatter side of the island, her first thought was to destroy the X-Wing so that she would not be temped to escape the island. Just as Luke had scuttled his ship when he had sought to hide from the terrible mistake he had made with Ben. It was strange how history repeated itself, she thought miserably, as she climbed out of the cockpit and clambered down the ladder. But how would she destroy it? The thought crossed her mind that she could burn it, but there were few trees on the island. Even the ancient tree that had housed the Jedi tomes had burnt away since the last time she had been there, leaving only a small, charred stump.  
Making her way over to the Jedi village, she went to see what she could scavenge. Fortunately, the Caretakers had been busy and there was a large stack of firewood piled up against one of the stone huts. Laboriously, Rey carried the entire pile over to her ship, stacking the wood around it until she was sure that there was enough to make a decent fire. Taking the flints she had found in Luke’s hut, she struck them together until a spark was made, first lighting the smaller, drier pieces of wood at the bottom of the pile. It was a clear day, with a slight breeze, and it did not take long until the wood began to blaze fiercely, scorching the metal hull of the ship and melting the plastic trimming. As she watched the ship burn, she thought about her friends. About her journey. She remembered Leia’s hope in her and Ben’s determination to stop her making the same mistakes that he had made. ‘But they were wrong,’ she realised sadly, watching the embers float away into the sky. ‘I can’t escape the darkness.’  
She watched the ship burn as the sun went down, until only hot ashes and the metal skeleton of the ship were left. She would have to think about what to do with the remains of the ship, it seemed so ugly against the beauty of the island.  
Leaving the ashes until the morning, she made her way over to the small collection of huts that had once housed a small Jedi community. She chose the hut that she had stayed in the first time she had arrived here. It had been rebuilt, slightly differently to before, but that was part of the island’s charm. Entering the hut, she lay down on the bench that served as a bed and wrapped herself in the blankets she had found in Luke’s former hut. It was then, and only then, that the tears started to fall, and she cried herself to sleep.

Sunlight poured in through the small hut window, alighting on Rey’s face and stirring her from sleep. She did not know how long she had been unconscious and it took her a few moments to fully wake up. Looking around the hut, she saw that a small tray had been left just inside the door. The Caretakers had been. Feeling grateful, Rey got up from the bench and went over to look at the tray. On it was a piece of cooked fish, a hunk of homemade bread and a cup of milk. Although she had not entirely made herself welcome on the island that last time she had been there, the Caretakers had not excluded her from their compassion. She imagined that the Jedi who had come to the island had learnt a lot from the Caretakers.  
Picking up the tray, Rey decided to go and eat her meal outside. It was a beautiful morning, revealing the island at its best. The grass shone a vivid green, bright with dew. Porgs wheeled about in the sky, calling to each other. Even the grey rock glistened in the bright sunlight. Below her, the ocean toiled restlessly, but without the violence that had been present on Kef Bir. Everything she needed was here. It convinced her that she could survive here, she could make it work. Like Luke had.  
‘It’s not so much fun in the cold season,’ said Luke, coming over to where she sat. ‘There’s no escape from the wind or the rain.’  
Rey looked aghast. ‘How did you… where did you…?’  
‘Don’t worry about that,’ smiled Luke, sitting down next to her. ‘I’m here to get rid of you.’  
‘What do you mean?’ Now that she looked properly at Luke, she could see that he was not corporeal but shimmered with an unnatural light. He was clearly a spirit of some kind. Hadn’t she read about this in one of her books? She couldn’t remember.  
‘Well, it’s obvious. You can’t stay here. Your friends need you. Ben needs you. Hiding yourself away here does no one any favours, least of all you.’  
‘But I fell to the dark side,’ she found herself saying petulantly. ‘I can’t go back until I learn to control my emotions.’  
‘Emotions aren’t the problem, Rey.’ Luke smiled at her, seeing that she had come a long way from the young woman he had met when he had been trying, as she was now, to ignore his place in the scheme of things. But she was still labouring under the belief that she had to be perfect, that she had to fulfil an ideal. ‘You need to work out what you want, where your journey is headed. Until you do, the dark side will take advantage of your confusion.’  
‘I want to help the Resistance,’ Rey said, but it sounded mechanical.  
‘That’s a noble purpose,’ replied Luke, a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. ‘But what do you - Rey - really want?’  
She thought about it for a moment, searching inside herself for the answer. ‘Belonging,’ she said finally. ‘A family. Love.’  
‘And do you think you’re going to find that here?’  
Rey shook her head. That was the amazing ability that Luke had, to make her see the reality of her situation. To properly assess the choice that she had made. And she had to agree that it was wanting.  
‘You might heal yourself here,’ Luke went on, easing his legs into a more comfortable position. ‘But it will take time. With your friends around you, you’ll heal faster because they can help you.’  
‘I don’t want to fail them,’ Rey said but immediately she knew she had phrased it wrong. What she meant to say was, I don’t want them to know that I’ve failed.  
‘Why?’ Luke was genuinely puzzled. ‘Your friends love you, Rey. Not the ideal you have in your head. They love you because of your flaws, not because you haven’t got any.’ He sighed deeply. ‘What I’m saying to you now is what I should have said to Ben all those years ago. I was wrong when I thought I could teach Ben to ignore the darkness inside him, just as the Jedi Council was wrong when they told Anakin to try and forget the strong emotions he had for his mother. I was wrong when I shut myself away here, I know that now. I should have gone to Leia, admitted my mistakes, and we could have dealt with them together. Admitting to our mistakes takes more courage but we thrive when we can confront them with the support and love of others.’  
Luke’s words inspired her. It was the pep talk she needed, giving her renewed hope. Yet there was still one sticking point. ‘I don’t know how to get off the island.’  
‘Don’t worry,’ said Luke, patting her on the shoulder. ‘Someone will be along soon to help you.’  
‘But nobody knows I’m here,’ she started to say when she suddenly heard a faint sound. The whine of an engine. Looking up, she could see a shape in the sky. As it came closer, she could see it was a TIE fighter, glinting in the sun. But it wasn’t just any TIE fighter, it was a particular model associated with a particular person. She turned back to Luke. ‘But how did he know I was here?’  
Luke rolled his eyes and tapped his hand on his heart. ‘He’ll always find a way to get back to you, Rey.’  
Smiling and embarrassed all at the same time, Rey watched as the TIE landed on a promontory at the bottom of the island, next to the sea.   
Opening the top hatch, Ben climbed out shakily. After bandaging his wound badly with spare cloths found in the cockpit, he had been flying for hours, refusing to sleep, searching for Rey through the Force. A feeling had brought him here and, looking up the hill, with relief he saw that Rey was on the island. She was waving to him. Next to her, the ghostly form of Luke was also waving. Waving back, he made sure he had everything he needed before he closed the hatch of the ship and began the steep climb up the hill.  
Watching him, Rey waited, full of anticipation. It was Ben alright but he looked, and felt, different, the Force around him suffused with light. Although traces of darkness remained, he was no longer the roiling, churning ferment of anger, fear and hate like before. Instead he was calm, filled with purpose, hope and love. He had shed most of his cumbersome attire, wearing only pants, boots and a thin black sweater. He even moved differently, he was fluid, graceful. As if previously, the dark side had been weighing him down.  
Wondering what had happened to him to influence so drastic a change, Rey reached him just as he came to the brow of the hill. ‘Ben!’  
‘Hello Rey.’ He smiled at her, a real, genuine smile that creased up his face, and revealed unexpected dimples. Sad to say, he couldn’t remember the last time that he had even felt like smiling.  
They stood in front of each other, both of them sensing it immediately. The difference in their connection. Rey felt that she was in Ben’s mind, and he was in hers, but it no longer felt strange or wrong or painful. It felt right, natural. There was harmony. As if that was how it was always meant to be before it had been corrupted by Snoke’s manipulations and the influence of the dark side. Now both of them realised what it meant to be part of a dyad, to be joined to someone else through the Force.  
Overwhelmed, they shared an affectionate embrace, holding onto each other tightly. There was still the same intense charge as their bodies came into contact, but even greater than that were the mutual feelings of warmth and contentment. For the first time in months, Rey knew that she had been right to cling onto to her belief that Ben could change; that despite the fury unleashed by their fight, he had finally returned to the light.  
Behind them, Luke smiled and faded away, knowing that he was no longer needed.  
Letting go of her, Ben handed Rey the holocron and her lightsaber, ‘You forgot these.’  
‘You came all this way to give me these?’ Rey laughed with relief, stowing the holocron away in her bag and the lightsaber back in her belt.  
He smiled back. ’And to see if you needed taking somewhere.’  
She felt embarrassed. ‘I did burn my only means of transport.’ The sun was shining, Ben was here, and she was beginning to feel herself again. There was so much she wanted to say to him, eager to get to know him properly now that their connection was no longer clouded by the dark side.  
But Ben was not looking well, and his legs suddenly buckled underneath him as a sharp spasm of pain coursed through him. Rey just managed to grab hold of him, stopping him from falling.   
‘You’re bleeding,’ she said, as several drops of blood fell onto the grass.  
‘It’s nothing,’ he insisted, gritting his teeth and pulling himself together, ‘I’m fine.’  
‘No, you’re not.’ Pulling up his sweater, she immediately saw the problem. The cloth stuck to his wound was saturated, and blood was oozing out from underneath it. ‘We need to get you to one of the huts.’  
‘What’s that?’ he asked, seeing nothing in the vicinity.  
‘The huts. They’re over the other side of that ridge,’ said Rey. ‘Can you make it?’  
‘I think so.’ With Rey’s support, Ben made his way slowly over to the ridge, clutching his sweater against the wound to staunch the flow of blood, which had already started to drip uncomfortably through to his pants.

The small circle of stone huts was a hive of activity as the Lanais went about their daily tasks, cleaning the huts, sweeping the paths, repairing any stones that had fallen, and replacing the blankets and sheets on the beds with clean ones. Even if no one lived on the island, it was their task to keep it spotless in case the Outsiders ever returned. There had been few changes in the past year, although the recent return of the troublesome relative of the last Outsider - the Niece they called her - had surprised them greatly. Already she had left a trail of destruction in her wake, including a burnt out ship which had been difficult to dispose of. But Alcida-Auka and her daughters had managed to clear away the mess, tidying it away into small pits so that it would not become a curiosity for the Porgs. They hoped that she would not be staying long, the island had only just recovered from her previous visit, which had seen the disappearance of the last Outsider too.  
Alcida-Auka was just shaking out one of the blankets, when she heard footsteps. Looking round, she saw the Niece coming towards her, down the stone steps into the village. But she was not alone. With her was another of her kind, the tallest Outsider Alcida-Auka had ever seen, with thick black hair, his face screwed up in pain. Frowning, Alcida-Auka watched as they entered one of the huts, the one with the metal door that had belonged to the Outsider. She had not had a chance to clean it out yet and it irked her that the Niece had not even consulted her before she had gone in. Yet, she was here to serve, not to command, and she got on with shaking out the blanket.

Inside the hut, Rey helped Ben to lie down on a stone bench. Despite his deteriorating condition, he looked around with interest, recognising some of the artefacts sitting on the shelves, ‘This was Luke’s?’  
‘Yes.’ Crouching down, she pulled up his sweater. ‘This needs to come off,’ she said, taking hold of the cloth and pulling.  
‘Wait!’ He grimaced as she attempted to rip half his skin away, grabbing hold of her wrist.  
‘What?’ Rey looked at him in bewilderment. ‘No good?’  
’Do you know what you’re doing?’ Ben asked grumpily, continuing to hold her at bay.  
‘I used to look after myself on Jakku, remember,’ she said defensively, pulling her arm from his grasp. ‘We need to get that off, wash the wound and re-bandage it. Before it gets infected.’  
‘Okay, you do know what you’re doing,’ he conceded, closing his eyes as another spasm of pain went through him. ‘But you could do it more carefully.’  
He did have a point; she needed water and fresh cloths to bandage him up. ’I’ll go and see what the Caretakers have got.’  
‘Who?’  
‘Those creatures outside, they look after the island.’   
‘So you wouldn’t have been alone here?’ Ben was impressed, it was far more sensible as a place of exile than Kef Bir.  
‘They don’t like me very much,’ said Rey ruefully, getting to her feet.  
‘Why not?’  
‘It’s a long story,’ she said, heading towards the door. ‘I’ll tell you later.’  
Leaving Ben, she went back outside. She could see one of the Caretakers folding up a blanket outside a nearby hut and headed over.

Alcida-Auka had just finished folding up the blanket when she saw the shorter of the two Outsiders, the Niece, coming over to her. The Outsider started speaking in a language that Alcida-Auka recognised, but did not understand. Shaking her head, Alcida-Auka tried to tell the Niece that she could not speak the same language, gesturing with her hands towards her mouth and shaking her head again. To Alcida-Auka’s surprise, the Niece realised what she meant immediately and started to mime her needs instead. Gesturing to the hut, she pointed to her stomach and made a sad face, miming something pouring out of it, then she scrunched up her hand into a fist, making it look like she was washing it; finally she pretended to wrap something around her waist. It worked. Alcida-Auka recognised that her companion was hurt and she wanted something to wash the wound and bandage it with. Nodding, Alcida-Auka felt pleased to have the opportunity to be entrusted with the important task of healing, and, gesturing for the Niece to return to her companion, she scurried off in search of what was required.

When Rey returned, she found that now Ben’s adrenaline had left his system, his symptoms had gotten worse. His forehead was clammy with sweat, and he was hot and feverish. All signs that the wound had become infected.   
‘Find anything?’ he asked weakly, as she came over to the bench.  
‘It’s coming.’ She helped him to take off his sweater and his boots in readiness for when the Caretaker returned. She felt awful, knowing that it was her fault he was wounded in the first place. Another to add to the collection of wounds that she had afflicted on him. But Ben seemed to bear her no malice, and did as he was told.  
The door opened and two of the Caretakers came in, carrying bowls of water, clean bandages and what looked like a poultice. On Jakku, there had been few healers, but those that did exist were skilled in using the plants of the desert to bind into wounds to help the healing process. Rey remembered something similar being applied to her leg when she had cut it open exploring inside an old Imperial ship, a mashed concoction of plants that was spread onto a piece of cloth.   
The Caretakers came over to where Ben lay, tutting when they saw the state of the wound, and getting to work quickly. First, they applied warm water to the bloody cloth, gradually prising it away from Ben’s skin until it was free. Ben moaned softly and one of the Caretakers handed Rey a wet cloth, miming that she should use it to wipe Ben’s forehead. She did as she was tasked, gently using it to cool Ben’s overheated skin whilst the Caretakers cleaned his wound before dressing it with the poultice.  
‘What is that terrible smell?’ asked Ben, annoyed that he couldn’t see what was happening.  
‘It’s a poultice,’ said Rey, pressing the wet cloth to his forehead, ‘it’ll help the healing process.’  
‘Don’t tell me,’ he murmured, ‘the worse it smells, the better it works.’  
‘Something like that,’ she smiled, stroking his hair away from his forehead. She had always wanted to touch it and now she felt brave enough. It was thick and wavy, surprisingly soft. But when Ben’s curious eyes alighted on hers, she suddenly felt self-conscious and stopped what she was doing.  
‘Don’t stop,’ he said softly, liking the feel of her fingers in his hair. He winced as the Caretakers started to wrap the bandage around his middle, but with two of them working together it did not take long. Soon, they had tied off the strips carefully, and tucked them in neatly. As they stood to leave, Ben murmured his thanks, and Rey thanked them too, knowing that they had done a far better job than she could have managed on her own.  
The Caretakers smiled and nodded, tidying up the small amount of mess they had made before leaving the hut. They took Ben’s sweater with them, miming to Rey that they would wash it and return it by the next day.  
‘Luke was on to a good thing here,’ said Ben, his dark eyes on Rey as she covered him up with a blanket.  
‘He was pretty self-sufficient,’ she replied, remembering how shocked she had been when he had milked the strange creatures that lived on the cliffs, and used a giant spear to catch a fish in the pouring rain. ‘But the Caretakers have always looked after the Jedi living here.’  
‘So why don’t they like you?’ Ben knew he should be sleeping but he wanted to talk to Rey. To hear the sound of her voice and see her beautiful face animated with smiles and dimples, now that they could be - he hoped - friends rather than enemies.  
‘I did a fair bit of damage when I was last here,’ she admitted, embarrassed. ‘I shot a hole in one of the huts, I sliced through an ancient rock formation and I took some ancient Jedi texts.’  
‘I’m surprised they let you within five miles of here.’ He managed a smile, but his eyes were closing, the pain and exhaustion finally getting to him.  
‘Get some rest,’ she ordered, pulling the blanket up over his chest and tucking him in. Staying with him until he was asleep, she left him curled up on the bench whilst she went to get some fresh air, as well as get away from the smell of the poultice.  
Walking along the cliffs, she reflected how so much had changed since she had first come to the island. She must have seemed very naive to Luke then. Enjoying the moment, she watched some porgs as they waddled along the cliff edge, chattering to each other. Even these tiny beings found happiness in each other’s company. Why did she ever think that she could thrive all alone?  
Later that evening, Ben awoke to find Rey had made a fire in the middle of the hut. He looked over at her with bleary eyes. ‘Hey.’  
‘Hey,’ she looked up as he came over to sit with her, perching himself uncomfortably on one of the wooden stools. ‘I don’t think anything here is made for someone of my size.’  
She smiled. ’How are you feeling?’  
Ben wrapped the blanket tighter around himself as a chilly draught gusted through the hut. ‘It still hurts. But less than before. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this smell though.’  
‘It is awful,’ Rey agreed. Warming her hands on the flames, she said quietly, ’I’m sorry.’  
‘What for?’  
‘Stabbing you.’  
‘Don’t be.’ He managed a smile. ‘It was the best thing you could have done.’  
‘How so?’ Rey frowned, not understanding his logic. She put it down to the pain he was in.  
‘It gave me the kick up the ass I needed. To turn back to the light.’   
His turn of phrase made her smile. ‘Did it need to be quite so drastic, though?’  
‘It did. Believe me.’ He rubbed his eyes. ‘So, what’s our plan?’  
She liked how he was thinking about them as a single entity ’We need to get to Exegol.’   
‘Yes.’  
‘But first we need to go back to the Resistance.’ Already she could sense his reluctance towards the idea. ’Come with me.’  
‘I want to…’ With all the blood on his hands, he was not sure that the Resistance would accept him.  
‘Then you should.’ Rey understood why he would find the decision difficult but she persevered. ‘Help the Resistance. Start to put things right.’ Gently she encouraged him, ‘Your help will make all the difference to defeating the First Order.’  
‘You think so?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘Hux will be on a massive power trip…’ he mused, staring into the flames. He had reached that point in his life again when he needed to make an important decision.  
‘I’ll be there,’ she promised, putting her hand on his arm reassuringly. She could not pretend that it was going to be easy, but she was certain that she could convince Poe and Finn of the benefits of having Ben on board.  
‘Okay,’ he said hesitantly, ‘but in return, you have to let me come with you to Exegol.’  
‘I wouldn’t want to go without you,’ she said, smiling even brighter. She had a good feeling about the days ahead.


	26. A surprising visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Ajan Kloss, Finn is getting worried about Rey when she turns up with an unexpected visitor. Ben Solo's appearance causes ripples amongst the Resistance members, and there is a long discussion about whether they can accept him or not. But passionate speeches by Ben, Lando, Rose and Rey, win most of them over. We also get to see what Resistance members do in their spare time.
> 
> (I feel this is a very controversial issue - would the Resistance accept Ben Solo? Personally I think they would as his information and insights about the First Order would be too good to ignore. In my opinion, Poe especially would be very pragmatic about it, but he would make sure to put it to the vote.)

Sequestered in the command centre, Finn was anxious. He was getting restless, worrying about Rey. After her outburst, he was concerned that she was never going to come back or would do something reckless like go to Exegol alone after finding the holocron. Abandoning his work, he went over to see Rose. ‘Finished that report yet?’  
‘Not yet,’ said Rose, looking at him sympathetically. After the excitement of finding out about his family had worn off, she could tell the long hours of working on the data were starting to get to Finn. He looked tired, worn out. ‘Are you thinking about Rey?’  
‘No news is good news, huh?,’ said Poe, who was nearby, examining a map of rumoured First Order movements. It concerned him that there was increased activity in nearby systems, almost as if the First Order were closing in on their location.   
‘Not in my experience,’ frowned Finn. ‘Perhaps we should go and look for her? She’s been gone too long now.’  
‘You’re right,’ said Poe, conceding that he had been a little too blasé about Rey’s disappearance. She was key Resistance personnel after all. ‘There should be a ship spare now that Connix and Beaumont have come back from Cato Nemodia, I could spare you and Rose to…’  
They were interrupted by a shout from the other side of the room. ‘General!’   
‘What is it?’ Poe hurried over to the technician who was monitoring movements outside the base.   
‘There’s a ship approaching,’ she said, looking with disbelief at the readout in front of her. ‘It looks like a TIE fighter.’  
‘A what?’  
There was a sudden panic amongst the Resistance personnel in the room. How had the First Order found them? As the tension became unbearable, Poe stood up on a chair and told everyone to stop panicking and stay at their stations. ‘Finn, Rose, come with me.’  
Grabbing their blasters, the three of them headed outside to intercept the enemy fighter. Outside, they could see the TIE clearly now. It was a model they recognised, a modified design with extended wings.   
‘That’s Kylo Ren’s ship,’ said Poe in disbelief, lowering his blaster and scratching his head.  
The ship was coming in fast and low, just scraping the tops of the trees. Whoever was in command of it was either supremely confident, reckless or drunk - or all three.  
Finn looked in bafflement at Poe. ‘Surely if the First Order was attacking us, there would be more than one?’  
Poe nodded. ‘Yeah. Something’s not right.’  
‘Perhaps Kylo Ren’s decided to come and help us?’ suggested Rose, putting her blaster back in her holster. Suddenly she did not feel afraid.  
The TIE shot past the base, executed a sweeping turn over the jungle and came back at a slightly more realistic speed. Gracefully it slowed down, and landed several feet away from the base next to the ever encroaching tree line. Finn, Poe and Rose watched as the top hatch opened and someone stuck their head out.  
‘It’s me!’ Rey shouted, waving enthusiastically.  
‘It’s Rey! said Finn with relief.  
‘What?’ Poe was even more confused. What was Rey doing in Kylo Ren’s TIE?  
The three of them walked over to where the ship had landed, and waited for Rey to emerge. They could hear whispered voices, talking urgently.  
‘What’s she doing in there?’ asked Poe suspiciously. It did not sound like she was alone.  
When Rey reappeared, they could see that someone else was coming out of the TIE fighter with her. If it had not been for the height and the dark mop of hair, they would not have recognised Kylo Ren at all.  
‘Who’s this, Rey?’ asked Poe in astonishment, staring at Ben. Kylo Ren had been obviously evil, radiating hate, malevolence and fear. This individual seemed the kind of person Poe liked to have around him; he seemed confident, hopeful.  
‘Ben,’ he said, holding out his hand, which Poe grasped firmly. ‘Ben Solo.’  
‘Ben’s come to help us.’ Rey smiled at Ben encouragingly, seeing that her friends’ response was one of confusion rather than immediate hostility. Finn was the only one who was openly unhappy, but she did not blame him. He had been at the sharp end of Ben’s temper.  
‘Apparently you need all the help you can get,’ added Ben, feeling nervous with everyone staring at him.  
There was an awkward silence. It was not the most tactful of statements, but Rey knew that they would have to get used to Ben’s rather blunt way of speaking. That in many respects, he took after his father instead of his more diplomatic mother, Leia.  
Trying hard not to laugh, Poe glanced at Rey. ‘Well whoever said that is correct. We could use your help.’ He looked back at Ben. ‘But we don’t want any funny business. We don’t want you coming in here, thinking you can lord it over us. I’m the son of a Princess, la di dah.’  
Everyone stared at Poe, wondering where he was going with this.  
But Poe ploughed on. ’If you’re here with bad intentions, I’d rather you told us that now and we can get it over and done with.’  
‘I’ve got no reason to betray you,’ said Ben honestly. ‘I’m done with the First Order, and they’re done with me.’  
‘So we heard,’ said Poe casually. He scratched his nose, ‘So tell me one thing. Before Hux forced you out, were you the one sending information to us?’  
Ben nodded, much to their amazement. ‘I would have done more if Hux hadn’t been breathing down my neck.’  
Astonished to find out that Ben had been helping them all along, Rey was upset that he had never thought to confide in her. You didn’t trust me.  
It wasn’t that, he tried to reassure her, I’ll explain later.  
Even though he was not Force sensitive, Poe could see that there was no animosity in Ben’s demeanour. It excited him to think that, in Ben, they had a huge opportunity to be one step ahead of the First Order’s plans. ’You know there’s a massive bounty on your head?’  
‘No.’ Ben could not help feeling curious. ‘How much?’  
‘150,000 credits.’  
‘Oh.’ Ben chewed his lower lip, ‘I didn’t think he hated me that much.’  
‘That’s a nice sum,’ said Finn, who couldn’t help feeling jealous of Rey’s connection with Ben. When he had been Supreme Leader, it seemed she had tried to fight it. Now he could tell that their connection had changed and she accepted Ben readily. They seemed relaxed around each other, even comfortable. ‘Someone might be tempted.’  
Although Rey knew Finn was joking, she said, more forcefully than she’d intended, ‘They’ll have to go through me first.’  
Poe raised his eyebrows, ‘Hopefully it won’t come to that.’  
Trying to diffuse the tension, Ben added reassuringly, ‘I don’t intend on doing anything but giving you what you need. Access codes, technical specifications, size of the fleet, current and future strategy… anything you want.’  
‘Great.’ Poe thought for a moment, ‘I’m happy enough for you to help us, Ben, but as you probably know, the Resistance does things differently to the First Order. I need to make sure that everyone here is happy with my decision.’  
‘Sure.’ Ben did not expect anything else from someone who had worked closely with his mother.  
Whilst Poe went back inside the base to round everyone up, Rey turned to Finn, sensing his discomfort. ‘Are you okay with this?’  
‘Things will take some… getting used to.’ Although he could understand why Rey wanted to protect Ben, to see her defending someone who - until relatively recently - had been trying to destroy her, him and the Resistance, was too much for him to bear. The anger and frustration had been building up in him and it needed release. Going over to Ben, Finn pulled back his fist and punched him hard in the face before Rey or Rose realised what was happening.   
‘Hey!’ Rey was shocked. Not by Finn’s behaviour but the fact that Ben had anticipated it, and not done anything to stop him.  
‘It’s okay.’ Ben used his sleeve to wipe the blood from his nose. ‘I deserved that.’  
‘Why did you bring him here?’ The punch had not satiated Finn’s need for revenge as much as he thought it would. ‘He tried to kill me! He killed his own father!’  
Rey opened her mouth to speak but shut it again. It was for Ben and Finn to sort out, not for her.  
‘You murdered him in cold blood,’ Finn went on, his voice shaking, ‘when all he wanted was for you to come home.’  
In the past, Ben would have let such comments wash over him, containing them inside the shell he had built up around himself. Using the pain and the anger to go deeper into the darkness. But now, without the mask, without the protection of Kylo Ren, the emotions that Finn’s words provoked in him were obvious on his face. Sadness, regret, shame.   
Finn was crying now. ‘Why? How… how could you do it?’  
Ben couldn’t speak. He didn’t know how to explain, to put into the words the reason why, at the time, it had seemed the right thing to do. How he had wanted to rid himself of his hated legacy, to cut out the parts of him that Snoke said were holding him back from becoming his true self. Would Finn understand that he had avoided his father for that very reason, knowing that if he did not engage with him - or his family - he would not have to make the decision that still haunted him, and always would. How his father confronting him on Starkiller Base had, in his mind at the time, made his death inevitable.  
‘Nothing to say?’ Finn glared at him, frustrated by Ben’s inability to defend himself. Although he knew deep down that Ben’s silence said it all. He could not defend himself.  
‘I can’t.…’ Ben began, not wanting to make things worse, ‘you won’t understand…’  
‘Why not?’ demanded Finn, ‘You don’t think I understand about family?’  
‘No,’ said Ben quietly, but firmly. ‘Not that. You don’t understand how the dark side works. What it does to you.’  
‘Try me,’ replied Finn, curious to understand how someone with all the privileges of Ben’s upbringing could have turned his back on everything that his parents had believed in. Although Rey had described it to him, he wanted to hear it from Ben’s perspective.  
‘That’s enough,’ said Rey, stepping in between the two men and putting her hands on Finn’s shoulders. ‘There’s plenty of time for Ben to explain to us how the dark side distorts and manipulates our thinking.’  
As the anger faded from Finn’s head, he realised that he had done the very thing that Ben, as Kylo Ren, had done, that Rose had warned him against. He was giving in to his feelings of anger and hate. It was difficult but he stretched out his hand to Ben. ‘I’m sorry I hit you.’  
‘I don’t blame you,’ said Ben readily, clasping Finn’s hand warmly. ‘I’d want to hit me too.’ They would probably never be friends but he knew that Rey was close to Finn. He already felt like he was getting in the way of their friendship.  
They went into the base where Poe had succeeded in bringing everyone together. Accepting a tissue from Rose to wipe his nose, Ben was surprised to see that the Resistance was still a relatively small organisation. It was possible to fit the entire team into a single room. Still, he was nervous of the outcome of the meeting. He wasn’t sure what he would do if they rejected his help. Going into exile would have been far easier before he had realised the extent of, and the change in, his connection with Rey.  
‘Ben!’ Lando greeted him as soon as he came into the command centre, having heard about the young man’s return. Without any hesitation, he pulled him into a fond embrace. ‘Good to have you back, kid.’  
‘I should have done it sooner,’ said Ben, amazed at the warm welcome that his father’s oldest friend had for him. He had always enjoyed spending time with his ‘Uncle Lando’ when he had been young, who inevitably had some wisecrack or funny story to share with him.  
‘No, you did it at the right time,’ replied Lando, letting him go and winking at Rey. ‘It’s just a shame your mother isn’t here to see it.’  
‘Oh, she knows.’  
Lando was about to enquire further when an excitable voice exclaimed, ‘By the Maker! Master Solo!’  
The three of them turned around to see Threepio hurrying through the crowd towards Ben as fast as his metal legs would carry him. ‘Master Solo,’ he repeated, in excitement. ‘Is it really you?’  
‘It is,’ said Ben, awkwardly shaking the droid’s proffered metal hand.  
‘I’ll catch you later, kid.’ Lando went to take his seat, leaving Ben and Rey with the talkative droid.  
‘I must say you are looking extremely well, Master Solo.’  
‘Er, thank you,’ he stammered, unsure what to say. ‘How’s things?’  
‘I should really be asking you that, Master Solo,’ replied the droid, much to Rey’s amusement. ‘It certainly has been a long time since we last spoke and it would take me a while to fill you in on all that has happened since then. According to my database, the last interaction we enjoyed together was in Hanna City on Chandrila, approximately twenty-one years, 6 months and 4 days ago…’  
‘That long?’ said Rey, genuinely surprised.  
‘It was, Mistress Rey, and I remember it very clearly,’ Threepio carried on regardless of the opinion of his audience. ‘I believe it was the day before Master Solo departed for his training with Master Luke. We were just leaving the Senate building and Captain Solo was talking very rudely about one of the senators he had encountered earlier…’  
‘Sounds about right.’ Ben rolled his eyes.  
‘…and Mistress Leia was obviously much more conciliatory, so Master Solo asked me for my opinion…’  
‘He did?’ Rey looked at Ben, trying not to laugh. Poor Threepio was so earnest.  
‘Of course I did,’ nodded Ben, who had no memory of the event in question but trusted in the veracity of Threepio’s memory banks. ‘Threepio’s opinions can be valuable.’  
‘Why thank you, Master Solo, but to return to my previous story, I remember thinking…’  
But they were never to find out what Threepio had thought as Poe stepped forward and clapped his hands together, requesting that everyone be quiet. ‘Right everyone, meeting’s about to start.’  
Annoyed by the interruption, Threepio said regretfully, ‘Looks like we’ll have to discuss this later, Master Solo.’   
‘Such a shame.’ Over my dead body.  
Beside him, Rey stifled a giggle, Stop it!  
‘As a matter of fact, Master Solo, there are many stories of your younger days in my memory banks that I would be grateful to share with you, and Mistress Rey, if you wish it.’  
‘Thanks, Threepio.’ Perhaps he was being too hard on the droid.  
Whilst Poe was waiting for everyone to take their seat and for the noise to calm down, Ben tried to focus on the matter in front of him. He had been in many difficult and terrifying situations, but the thought of having to convince his mother’s organisation of his good intentions was nerve-wracking in a different way. He reminded himself that he was doing the right thing, hoping that they would accept him without having had time to prove himself to them.  
Rey could sense his tension. ‘You’re nervous.’  
‘Of course I am,’ he admitted tersely. It would be his first test since he had come back to the light, could he convince others of his sincerity?  
‘You’re not regretting this, are you?’  
‘Maybe a little.’ He was surprised when she offered him her hand to hold, and he took it gratefully. Without her support, him being there would have been unimaginable.  
‘Thank you for coming with such short notice,’ Poe began, as soon as the hubbub had died down. ‘A very unexpected, but welcome, development has taken place. For months now, as most of you know, we have been receiving help from an informer inside the First Order. This informer was, unknown to us, right at the top of the organisation. In fact, it was the Supreme Leader himself.’  
There was a collective gasp from the assembled group.  
‘Yes, it surprised me too,’ said Poe, with a grin. ‘However, with General Hux’s recent coup, it means that er, Ben here… can I call you Ben…?’  
‘Please do.’  
‘…Ben has been left with lots of spare time on his hands. So he’s decided to come and help us fight the First Order. Isn’t that right?’   
‘Yes.’ Ben nodded. He didn’t envy Poe. There were already many puzzled faces in the crowd in front of him.  
Taking on a more serious tone, Poe continued. ’I’m sure that everyone has lots of questions, and there will be plenty of time to answer them later. But what is crucial is that having a former leader of the First Order here, helping us, gives us far more advantages than disadvantages. Bearing this in mind, what I want us to do now is to listen to Ben’s explanation about why he has come to help us. Then we can decide if we, the Resistance, are willing to accept his help. Ben, is that okay?’  
‘Of course.’ Nervously, Ben stepped forward as soon as Poe finished speaking. ‘I want to say first, that I’d never thought I’d be here. For years, I was lost in the dark side of the Force. I believed that I could never come back from it. I was a monster, evil. But I’m standing here now, hoping that you’ll listen to my story. Of course, I can’t expect you to listen, or to understand my choices, why I fell to the dark side in the first place. For years, my mother, Leia, couldn’t accept that her father Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader. She hated him as much as you here will hate me and the First Order. She couldn’t understand why he chose the dark over the light. But I also know that my mother would be the first to say that understanding is the first step towards forgiveness. I didn't come here expecting you to forgive me for what I’ve done. I will never forgive myself for what I’ve done. But I will try and explain why so that you can perhaps begin to understand.’ Ben paused for a moment for his words to sink in, sensing that there was a general willingness to hear him out. Emboldened, he explained that he had always heard voices in his head ever since he could remember; how it turned out to be Snoke, subtlety manipulating him through his strong connection to the Force. How, under his guidance, he had come to see his parent’s cause as wrong, even destructive for the galaxy. At the same time, his uncontrollable powers had scared and confused his parents, encouraging them to seek help from Luke Skywalker, his uncle, who agreed to train him and several other students. Away from his parents, the voices in his head became stronger, outside events leading to a series of terrible decisions that propelled him deeper into the darkness and into the hands of the First Order. ‘I thought I’d killed Luke, I’d destroyed his temple,’ he said, finding it difficult to admit but knowing that sharing his state of mind at the time would help his audience to understand why he’d made certain choices. ‘I thought I couldn’t go home. Instead I went to Snoke. I know now that this was the biggest mistake of my life. Snoke told me that I was on the right path, that drawing on my hate and my anger would make me stronger. That only by destroying everything that caused me pain would I grow as a person. But he was wrong.’  
Ben paused again to look at Poe, worrying that he was taking too much of everyone’s time. But Poe smiled back encouragingly, understanding the power of Ben’s testimony as a rare explanation of how the dark side could be seductive to someone who needed answers.  
‘For years I thought that I couldn’t come back to the light. But I didn’t really belong on the dark side either, the pull to the light was still strong.’ Realising that he was coming to the hardest part of his story, he took a deep breath. ‘As I said, Snoke convinced me that I needed to destroy the things that caused me pain in order to become the person I should be. That included my family. For many years I avoided them, but then the time came when my father found me.’ He looked at the floor, unable to face the growing realisation amongst the crowd of what he referred to. ‘As soon as I killed my father, I knew I had made a mistake,’ he told them. ‘Snoke said it would make me stronger, but it didn’t. The pain got worse. I tried to deny it but it was then that I started to come back towards the light.’  
There was an uneasy silence, and Ben knew that this would be the hardest thing for his audience to take in. He had killed his father in cold blood, a hero of the Rebellion, someone who had fought hard to do the right thing. If anything would deny him their acceptance, then this would be it. Glancing over at Rey, he continued, ‘Not long after, I found out I had a connection with Rey, a connection that was linked to our shared strength in the Force. It showed me that I wasn’t alone, that my actions had far-reaching consequences, not just for me but for others. It forced me to see what I had become. And, eventually, it convinced me that I should, and could, change.’  
As he stepped back, his speech finished, the room remained silent. Ben could sense that the reaction to him was mixed. Some responded to his story positively, pleased that he had willingly come back to the light, whilst others were more sceptical, even cynical, about his reasoning. It was to be expected; they did not know him and he was to some extent depending on his parent’s reputation. For some, that was enough to convince them of his essential goodness, giving useful context to the young man stood in front of them. For others, it had the opposite effect, damning him in their eyes because of his failure to live up to the promise of his birthright. Then there were individuals like Finn, who clearly wanted to hate him for what he had done but also felt compassion for him considering his manipulation by Snoke, and, as a result, were struggling with their conscience.  
After giving everyone some time to digest what Ben had said, Poe was about to speak again when Lando got slowly to his feet. ‘Can I say something?’  
‘Please do,’ Poe acceded to the older man, interested to hear what he had to say.  
‘I knew Ben’s mother and father,’ Lando began, his kind yet authoritative gaze sweeping around the room. ‘And even before Ben was born, I remember Leia telling me that she saw him as a symbol of hope, a child born of the fragile peace that was hard won after the Battle of Endor. It was no coincidence that Ben was born on the same day that the Galactic Concordance was signed. Look that up if you don’t know what it is.’  
A small ripple of laughter ran through the room, it was just like Lando to pretend that he did not know who he was speaking to.  
‘But having all those hopes pinned on you can be tough, am I right, Ben?’ When Ben nodded, Lando continued. ‘Especially when you become a target for evil as well as for good. What Ben didn’t know was that Snoke was planning to use him, to use all of our children, to get his revenge against those of us who brought down the Empire. He kidnapped our kids, and brainwashed them into thinking that the First Order was their true path. He turned Ben into a killing machine, fuelled by hatred. They took our hope, our future from us, and twisted it into something terrible.’   
There was a profound silence as everyone hung on his words, his pain evident in his voice and his expression.  
Tears were shining in Lando’s eyes. ‘But it brings me joy to see that things are turning around. First, our lost children have started returning to us, including my own daughter, Jannah. Ben has come back to the light and is here to help us. It gives me hope that we will defeat them.’ Wiping the tears from his eyes, Lando sat down again.  
There was a moment of silence before the room burst into spontaneous applause, everyone encouraged by Lando’s heartfelt words.   
As the noise died down, Finn reflected that Lando’s words were borne out by the discoveries he and Rose had been making around the First Order’s recruitment database. The more he and Rose looked into the types of children that had been taken, the more they realised that the First Order had intended to punish the galaxy for defeating the Empire. Most of the kidnapped children came from planets that had either defied the Empire or been represented by senators that had been part of the ‘Petition of the 2,000’ , those that had rebelled against Chancellor Palpatine for his unwillingness to let go of the emergency powers granted to him during the Clone Wars. It included his own namesake, Giddean Danu, who, as Senator for Kuat, had openly defied the Chancellor to the extent that his own home planet had tried to remove him twice from his position. But he had not backed down despite the danger to his life. It was obvious that if the Senator had any descendants, the Empire’s legacy would want to destroy them too.  
‘Thank you, Lando, for that impromptu speech,’ said Poe, standing up again. ‘It reminds us of why the First Order is such a powerful threat. Because it tried to take our hope from us. To tell us that we were alone. But as Lando also says, the tide is turning. As someone else said, I think it was Rose, we won’t win by fighting what we hate, but by saving what we love.’  
‘I did say it,’ said Rose brightly, as most of the crowd turned to look at her. ‘And I stand by it.’ She looked over to Poe. ‘Can I say something?’  
‘Of course,’ nodded Poe, giving her the floor.  
‘Although I don’t know him personally, I imagine it took a lot of guts for Ben to come here,’ said Rose, her voice strong and clear. ‘The First Order did terrible things to my home planet, and if you’d asked me what I thought of Ben two years ago, I would have wanted his head. But I realised that hatred, the need for revenge, is what keeps the cycle of war turning. It was the Empire’s desire for revenge that created the First Order. So it’s time to stop the cycle. I think we should give Ben a chance to make amends for the pain and suffering that he, and the First Order, have caused.’  
It was a short but inspiring speech, and there was a round of applause for Rose, which made her blush. Ben stared at her in awe, wondering who she was and how she had come to believe so passionately in a type of justice that he had never considered before.   
‘Who is she?’ he asked Rey during another lull in the proceedings.  
‘What?’ Rey’s mind had been elsewhere.  
‘The girl who spoke just then,’ repeated Ben, patiently. ‘Who is she? What she said was amazing.’  
‘That’s Rose. She’s been helping Finn with his plan to encourage the stormtroopers to rebel.’  
‘Does anyone else want to speak?’ asked Poe, looking around the room one last time. One of the pilots stood up jokingly, but sat down immediately again when Poe frowned at him.   
‘I would like to.’  
The whole room turned to look at Rey. Even Ben looked at her in surprise. She had been wanting to say something in support of Ben ever since Lando had spoken, considering that she had encouraged him to be there in the first place. But it had taken her a long time to pluck up the courage to raise her hand.  
‘Certainly,’ Poe stepped back, giving Rey the opportunity to speak.  
Silence fell over the room as everyone waited to hear what she had to say. She felt like she wanted to vomit from the anxiety but she couldn’t back out now, not with everyone looking at her.   
You don’t have to do this.   
She appreciated Ben’s concern. I want to.  
Taking a deep breath she said, hesitantly, ‘If you’re still not sure about giving Ben a chance, I thought I should tell you about my experience of the dark side. It’s only recently that I’ve begun to understand the terrible power that it holds. At first, I thought you had to be weak or innately evil to be seduced by it. But… but that’s not true. Because it tried to seduce me and… I gave into it.’  
There was an audible gasp from many of the pilots and technicians that were listening, as well as from her friends. It was a brave thing for her to say; Rey’s reputation as a Jedi was impeccable but here she was, admitting to being tempted by the dark side.  
‘I was struggling to find my place, to understand what the Force wanted me to do. It came to me with answers. Tempted me with visions of what my future might be if only I would give into it. It was hard to fight it,’ she went on. ‘Like Ben said, it’s like a voice in your head, twisting and warping your reality.’ Glancing over at Ben, she said ashamedly, ‘As Ben was turning back to the light, so I was turning towards the darkness. And it almost succeeded. I... I almost killed Ben. If it hadn’t been for the strength of our connection, I would have taken his place. The darkness would have won.’  
There was silence as her words sank in. Finn and Rose, especially, were shocked to hear how close Rey had been to falling to the dark side, how close they had been to losing their friend.  
‘Thank you, Rey,’ said Poe gratefully, ’for explaining for us how seductive the dark side can be. Now, before you vote, I want you to think about what you’ve heard. Really think about it before you make up your mind. Although I didn’t know it at first, I realise now that this is a truly momentous occasion. One that could set the pattern as to how we treat those who come to us in good faith from a bad place. Think about what is best for the Resistance. Right, I’ll shut up now. Go and vote.’  
There was a tense thirty minutes as votes were cast, and then counted. Despite the eloquence of those who had spoken on his behalf, Ben was convinced that he would not be accepted. He had shed too much blood, as well as supported a tyrannical organisation that had destroyed and exploited many systems in its pursuit of power. From that perspective, he could not see how it would be possible for diehard members of the Resistance, who had known his mother and his father, to forgive him, even for the sake of winning the war.  
‘Ben?’  
Rey’s voice startled him out of his introspection. ‘Hmm?’  
She caught traces of his pessimism, ‘You don’t think they’ll accept you?’  
‘I don’t know how they can.’ Before she could say anything, he tried to change the subject. ‘I appreciate your honesty. What you said about the dark side tempting you.’  
She smiled, embarrassed. ‘I’ve never felt so terrified in my life.’  
‘What? Just then?’  
‘Yes. I don’t know how you did it without wanting to throw up.’  
‘Who said I didn’t?’ He glanced over at the queue of people waiting to cast their vote. ‘But today, I’m more nervous about what comes next.’  
The energy in the room was mixed and Rey wished that on this one occasion she really could read into people’s minds. But there was one thing she was certain about. Decisively, she said to him, ‘If the vote goes against you, I’ve decided that I can’t stay here…’  
‘Wait a minute…’  
‘No, hear me out,’ she insisted, batting away what she assumed would be his objections. ’There’s no place for me here if they can’t accept you. As Rose said, we won’t win by continuing the pain and the hate. They have to give you a chance to make things better, to make up for your mistakes.’  
‘They’re far more than mistakes,’ Ben started to say, but she cut him off again.  
‘That’s not the point. The point is… the point is that when your grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, helped save the galaxy from Palpatine’s evil, no one remembers it. People only remember that he was Darth Vader, twisted and evil. I don’t want people to remember you like that. I want people to remember you as Ben Solo, not Kylo Ren.’  
‘You could have said this a minute ago,’ he gently teased her, but her words meant a lot to him. It was the same as the Oracle had said, that Anakin’s sacrifice had largely been ignored by a broken and wounded galaxy.  
‘I’m saying it now,’ Rey said firmly. ‘What I mean to say, is that if the Resistance don’t want you here, then I’m leaving with you.’  
It was a rather long-winded declaration of her support for him, and he marvelled at it. Especially considering she had nearly killed him the day before. ‘What about your friends?’  
‘They’ll understand. I hope.’  
Finally, he realised that she was being serious. ’You’d really do that? For me?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘You don’t have to.’  
‘I know.’ Even Rey was surprised by the depth of her feelings but she was adamant.  
Across the other side of the room, Finn was watching the intense exchange between Ben and Rey with a growing realisation of just how powerful they were now that they were together. The strength of their affinity affected the Force around them, as if the very atmosphere itself was charged with electricity, alive with the rawness of their energy. He didn’t quite know what to make of it. He had never seen anything like it before.  
‘Hey, are you alright?’ Having voted, Rose came over to join him.  
‘I was just thinking about those two,’ he admitted, gesturing to Rey and Ben. ‘The affect they have on the Force… it’s incredible.’  
Glancing over, all Rose could see was two people talking very closely together. ‘I’ll have to take your word for it,’ she said to Finn, shrugging, ‘I can’t see anything different about them.’  
‘Really?’ Finn frowned, ‘Nothing at all?’  
Rose considered Rey and Ben for a moment. There was an undeniable tension around them, come to think about it. But she wasn’t sure how she could explain it. ‘There is one thing,’ she conceded, ‘if I didn’t know better, I’d be convinced that they were about to kiss each other.’  
‘Really?’ The more he looked, the more he noticed that Ben and Rey were stood very close together, and were looking into each others’ eyes in a way that made him feel strangely uncomfortable. It was intimate. So much so, he had to look away.  
At that moment, Poe stepped forward, calling for quiet. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that the votes have been counted and I’ve got the results.’  
As the hubbub died down, Ben stood up straight. Here goes.  
Rey took his hand again and squeezed it. Let’s hope it’s good news.  
‘Good news,’ said Poe, turning to Ben with a rakish smile. ‘The Resistance is willing to give you a chance, Ben.’  
‘Really? Thank you.’ Feeling giddy with relief, Ben could hardly believe it. It almost did not seem real. ‘Thank you,’ this time he said it more confidently, looking around the room to see welcoming faces looking back at him.  
Relieved and excited that her newfound family had faith that someone who had been manipulated and corrupted by evil could come back to the light, Rey embraced a very surprised Ben, impulsively throwing her arms around him. ‘I’m so pleased!’  
‘Me too,’ he murmured, hugging her back tightly.  
‘Alright, alright,’ laughed Poe as he came over to them, ‘there’ll be plenty of time for that later.’ As Ben and Rey pulled apart, embarrassed, he held out his hand to Ben. ‘I’m glad to have you on board.’  
‘You won’t regret it.’ Ben clasped Poe’s hand firmly, pleased that Poe’s enthusiasm was genuine, despite what had happened between them in the past. And, in general, most of the Resistance personnel greeted the news positively. For many in the room, Ben’s natural charisma, clear ability and perceptive mind - a combination of traits inherited from his mother and father - had sealed the deal; he had been a compelling speaker and their ready acceptance of his story had been instrumental in their decision. However, as he found out from Lando much later, the vote had only gone his way by a slim margin. Lando had not meant to stir things up but he had been surprised that there were enough people in the Resistance who were unwilling to give him a chance. Although Ben had no idea who rejected him, it reinforced his need to work hard to ensure that he was no longer the monster of their imagination.  
As soon as Poe had given everyone a chance to ask Ben their burning questions, which he answered openly and honestly, he whisked him away to begin working on their possible strategy in response to the First Order. Although their hold on the Core Worlds was strongest, Ben thought even that would start to creak under Hux’s volatile leadership.  
‘He’s obsessed with conquest,’ he said to Poe as they stood together in the command centre, ‘and he’ll deplete the galaxy of its resources to develop new ships and weapons rather than try to build support and loyalty. If there is any dissent, it’ll be crushed like it was on Naboo.’  
‘Hmm, Finn and Rose told me it was pretty brutal,’ agreed Poe, going over to the projector and bringing up a map of the galaxy. ‘Do you think that will stop people protesting?’  
‘No, I think it will only get worse under Hux,’ said Ben as he thought about potential hotspots across the galaxy. ‘Initially anyway. Systems were starting to get used to having a say in how they were run and Hux is certain to curtail those new powers. He didn’t agree when we introduced them.’  
‘It might be something we can take advantage of,’ agreed Poe, making a note on his data-pad.  
‘Something else that might be useful is the First Order’s reliance on the criminal syndicates,’ said Ben. ‘Especially Crimson Dawn, the Black Hand, and the Amaxitines. We started to try and curb their power but resources were too tied up with their interests to make much headway. There might be other ways we can diminish their influence or cut off the supply of resources?’  
‘Hmm,’ Poe made another note. ‘You don’t think we should try and get them on side?’  
‘No,’ frowned Ben, thinking that Poe was crazy. ‘They need to be got rid of, not encouraged.’  
‘I see your point, I really do,’ replied Poe, ‘but we need all the support we can get. I’ve already got Lando working on some of the unaffiliated smugglers and pirates to see if we can count on their support.’ He looked at Ben with a wry smile, ‘You know, the ones you alienated with your crackdown on crime.’  
‘It was a risk,’ shrugged Ben, refusing to see what he had done wrong. ‘But if you want any credibility after this war ends, you can’t give any more leverage to the crime syndicates.’  
‘You’re right,’ agreed Poe, eminently practical. He looked studiously over his data-pad. ‘So, according to this, the main flash points are likely to be Coruscant, Naboo, Kijimi, maybe Riosa…’  
‘Riosa will stay loyal,’ said Ben, wondering where Poe had got his information from. ‘If Hux does anything, it will be to clamp down on the planets that have already seen protests. He thought I was too lenient on them.’  
‘Those rumours about the First Order fleet massing close to Riosa might be false then,’ muttered Poe, making a note on his data pad for Rose to investigate further.   
‘Very likely.’  
‘Where else?’  
‘Tatooine and Corellia were getting twitchy,’ replied Ben, looking intently at the map. ’I’d also be wary about Mon Cala and Cato Neimoidia. You might want to focus some resources on those.’  
‘That’s just it,’ admitted Poe, scratching his nose, ‘we don’t have enough resources to spread them this thinly.’  
‘How much support do you have?’ Ben wanted to know.  
‘There’s pockets here and there, said Poe, ‘but as Leia found out, most are too afraid to support us. They don’t entirely know what we stand for and their memories of the Republic are… hazy to say the least.’  
‘Then you need to tell them. That’s what Leia was good at. You need to get out there and win support. You can’t rely on goodwill, or saying that you’re the antithesis of the First Order.’ He paused, hoping he hadn’t gone too far. ‘I’m sorry if that’s obvious. It’s just my parents didn’t really tell me why their cause was so important. They just assumed that I would understand why.’  
‘Is that one way Snoke manipulated you?’ Poe asked.  
‘Yes,’ Ben nodded, ‘he turned things round so it seemed like their cause was wrong. Mis-guided. That the Republic was weak, dangerous. It shouldn’t have stuck but…’  
‘No, you’re right. We do need to be clear about what we’re fighting for and why.’ Poe was pleased to have the benefit of Ben’s perspective. He had been stuck on Ajan Kloss for a long time, trying to guess the actual context in which the Resistance operated, glimpsing it through intelligence and second-hand reports. They needed to remind people of who they were and what they stood for. ‘We need to redesign our propaganda. Make some more broadcasts.’ He looked at Ben, remembering that the First Order had released some effective propaganda whilst he was leader. ‘Can you help us with that?’  
‘I can.’ Ben felt a new sensation through the Force and glanced up to see Finn approaching. The light rippled brightly around him, but Ben could sense some turmoil there too, centred on him. ‘Hello,’ he said casually, trying to be friendly.  
‘Ben,’ said Finn, feeling slightly unsettled by Ben’s attempt to be normal. Things were anything but normal. Turning to Poe, he handed him a data-pad. ‘Here’s the information you need.’  
‘Thanks,’ said Poe, assigning it to the rapidly growing pile beside him.  
‘What are you two up to?’  
‘We’re looking at potential hotspots for the First Order.’ Even Poe could feel the discomfort that existed between the two men, and he wished that they would thrash it out and get it over and done with. Both of them seemed to be dancing around each other at the moment. ‘Sites of unrest.’  
‘Hmm,’ Finn examined the map, seeing the most obvious systems as well as some new ones. ‘Corellia, huh? Isn’t that where your father was from, Ben?’  
‘Yeah.’ Ben nodded. ‘He was.’  
Finn smirked. ‘Bet he wished he’d stayed there.’  
Poe frowned wondering what he was up to.  
But Ben took it in his stride. ‘It’s not the worst choice he made in his life.’  
‘What was that?’  
‘If you mind, Finn?’ said Poe, hating to be rude to his friend but wanting to wring every last drop of information out of Ben’s brain before he had to get on with a million other tasks. We’re trying to discuss important things here. You can chat later.’  
Feeling chastened, Finn nodded. ‘Yeah, sorry. I’ll leave you to it.’  
His dark eyes full of concern, Ben watched as Finn disappeared out of the command centre. ‘Do you think he’ll ever come round to me being here?’  
‘Eventually, I think so, yes,’ said Poe, picking up his data-pad again. ‘After all, you tortured me and I’ve no hard feelings.’  
‘None?’ Ben could see that Poe was trying hard not to laugh, his handsome eyes full of mirth.  
‘Okay, a few,’ admitted Poe, giving Ben one of his most disarming smiles. ‘But it’s more important to work together now you’re here, don’t you think? Now, where were we?’

‘…and, as you can imagine, he was furious with rage. “Clean up this bloody mess at once.” he shouted. I tell you, I could barely stop myself from laughing! I’d never smelt anything so disgusting!’  
After a long afternoon of training and catching up with what had been going on since she had run away to Kef Bir, Rey was sat with Rose and Jannah in one of the small, loosely-named relaxation rooms which, in reality, was little more than some hastily thrown together seats and a drinks machine. Jannah was telling them a funny story about her first encounter with Armitage Hux, when she had accidentally sprayed him with a malfunctioning cleaning pipe whilst on sanitation duty.  
‘I wish I could have seen his face!’ Rose was almost hysterical with laughter, imagining the uptight officer covered from head to foot in stinking trash.  
‘He looked an absolute picture,’ grinned Jannah, relishing the memory. ‘Especially the kuam-fruit peel stuck to his hair! It was worth the day in the brig.’  
‘You got punished for it?’  
‘Of course,’ Jannah said, with no trace of self-pity, ‘you got punished for breathing out of place in the First Order.’  
‘But you were only 8!’  
‘Yeah, I was,’ replied Jannah, all trace of laughter gone now. She realised how much of her childhood she had lost in service to the military machine.  
Rose wiped her eyes, looking over at Rey to gauge her reaction. But she was staring off into space, a dreamy look in her eyes. ‘Rey?’  
‘Yes?’ Rey shook her head to clear it. She had felt a change in the Force around her and had been trying to trace what it was.  
‘You were miles away.’  
‘Hey.’  
They all looked up as a new voice spoke, deep and resonant.   
‘Hey Ben.’ Rey was not surprised to see him there, but what did surprise her was the rush of warmth and affection that washed over her now that he was near. How she felt about anyone else paled by comparison and she wondered what it meant.  
‘I hope I’m not intruding?’ He had come looking for Rey but, despite their connection, it had taken him a while. He had stumbled around aimlessly until one of the technicians had taken pity on him and pointed out the basic layout of the complex.  
‘Not at all,’ Rey smiled brightly. ‘Come and talk to us,’ she said, patting the seat beside her. ‘These two won’t bite.’  
‘Not very hard, anyway,’ joked Rose, who was curious to speak to Ben. She had assumed he would be be cold and standoffish considering his background, but what she had seen so far surprised her. Although he had been a compelling speaker, he seemed shy, even awkward, around others.  
‘What’s going on?’ Ben sat down next to Rey, unsure what to say. He was no good at small talk.   
Sensing his discomfort, Rey took it upon herself to introduce her two friends. ‘This is Rose, who I was telling you about earlier. She likes messing about with ships.’  
‘I’ve spent a lot of time trying to fix the Falcon,’ Rose added, ‘that was your Dad’s ship, right?’  
‘It was.’ Ben attempted a smile, trying to cover up his irritation at the way in which conversation inevitably came round to his family. ‘I don’t know how you can even start to make sense of that piece of junk…’  
‘And, er, Jannah is Lando’s long lost daughter,’ said Rey hurriedly, trying to steer the conversation away from controversial subjects, ‘as you probably already know.’  
Ben nodded, ‘Poe did mention it.’  
There was another awkward silence, no-one really sure how to continue the conversation.  
‘I was impressed by what you said in the meeting,’ Ben said to Rose, ‘your words were very inspiring.’  
‘You’re welcome. Although I still want to hate you,’ said Rose bluntly, much to Rey’s dismay and Jannah’s astonishment, ‘considering what you’ve done and what you stand for.’  
‘Then why don’t you?’  
Rey felt like she was dying inside, all her hopes of a fun, relaxing conversation disappearing. Can’t you just tell them about your favourite food or something?  
Ben tried very hard not to glare at Rey, Just give me a chance.  
‘You’re nothing like I expected.’ Rose wasn’t sure how to explain. Then she said, ‘And anyway, Rey obviously thinks you’re okay, otherwise she wouldn’t have brought you here.’  
Everyone looked at Rey, and she shrugged. ‘He is okay. Most of the time. When he’s not being an idiot.’  
‘Thanks, I think.’ Ben didn’t know what was worse, Rose’s confused hostility or Rey’s obvious hostility.  
‘And,’ went on Rose, trying not to laugh at the strange dynamic between the two Force users, ‘listening to you what you said about Snoke, how he manipulated you. You were corrupted by the First Order just as much as the stormtroopers were.’  
‘It’s not exactly the same,’ said Ben, unable to help being hard on himself. ‘They were stolen away as children, I don’t have that excuse.’  
‘But you said yourself that you heard voices in your head from a young age.’  
‘That’s true. But I still had more choice than they did.’  
‘But Snoke must have been a powerful influence?’ Rose wasn’t sure what Ben was trying to do. Was he trying to test her, or was he trying to convince her that he was a bad person? It was confusing, and she looked to Rey for help, who was getting fed up about the way in which the conversation was going.  
‘Choice is rather an interesting concept, don’t you think?’ she butted in grumpily before Ben could say anymore, wishing he would take the hint. ‘I mean, take us for example. We could choose to talk about what interests or inspires us but instead we’re dwelling on something that’s already happened and we can’t change.’  
‘Okay, okay, I’ll shut up.’ A casual conversation was not something that Ben had experienced for a long time, and he felt all at sea. Being swamped by Rey’s growing irritation with him did not help either.  
‘Let me get you a drink,’ said Rose to Ben, wanting to ease the apparent tension between him and Rey. ‘Whatever you want…’  
‘As long as you don’t mind it all tasting the same,’ smiled Jannah, who had never quite got used to the Resistance’s version of tea.  
‘No it’s fine,’ said Ben, who had already experienced the Resistance’s version of coffee when he had been working with Poe. ‘I’m good.’  
‘So Ben,’ said Jannah, who like Rose was unsure what to make of him. During her time in the First Order she hadn’t had much to do with Kylo Ren but she had known about his reputation. Everyone had. Yet, the young man sat next to Rey seemed completely at odds with the fearsome warrior of her imagination. ‘How are you adjusting to life away from the First Order?’  
‘It’s great,’ he replied, realising his answer was a huge understatement. ‘I don’t feel like I’ve ever really lived until now.’  
‘What do you mean?’ asked Rose, intrigued. From Finn and Jannah she had learnt about the rigid structures of the First Order, including the long list of punishments for every tiny infraction. But she assumed that these had not applied to Ben.  
‘Those voices in my head I was telling you about. They’ve shaped my life for as long as I can remember. Telling me what to do. How to think. Now they’ve gone, I can make my own choices, knowing that they are fully my choices.’  
‘That must be freeing.’ After seeing Rey struggle with being a Jedi, and now hearing Ben say the same thing, Rose considered that being Force sensitive was not the great gift many supposed it to be.  
‘It is.’ Ben nodded. ‘But it’s scary too. I mean, I still hear other people’s thoughts and feelings that come to me through the Force. But I know now which are mine, and which aren’t.’  
‘What?’ asked Jannah, suddenly feeling self-conscious, ‘you can hear other peoples’ thoughts?’  
‘I try not to.’ He tapped his head, ‘But it can get rather crowded in here.’  
‘Is it the same for you?’ Jannah asked Rey, who had been sitting quietly, observing rather than taking part in the conversation. She felt embarrassed by her earlier attempt to steer things and realised now that she had to let Ben find his own way through the minefield of questions that people wanted to ask him.  
‘Yes, although it’s more impressions of what people are thinking, their feelings, rather than actual thoughts. Unless it’s Ben,’ she continued, looking across at him, ‘then I can hear everything.’ Not that I want to.  
Rose glanced at Jannah. ‘You can hear each other’s thoughts?’  
‘Yes,’ nodded Ben, ‘as clear as if we were speaking to each other.’ No, you really don’t.  
‘We can have whole conversations in our heads,’ added Rey. What’s that supposed to mean?  
To Jannah, the concept was exciting, and disconcerting, in equal measure. ‘Are you doing that now?’  
‘Not really’ said Ben, managing to keep a straight face, ‘Rey’s too distracted.’  
Rey felt her face growing warm. ‘I was just thinking about getting a drink,’ she lied, getting up and going over to the machine. It gave her a chance to collect her scattered thoughts; the intersection of her’s and Ben’s emotions kept changing the dynamic of the Force around them, making it difficult to concentrate on the conversations going on both inside and outside of her head.  
‘I guess it’s a side effect of being a dyad,’ Ben said off-handedly, ‘having this intense connection.’  
Next to Rose, Jannah almost spat out her tea. Both of them were intrigued by the relationship between Ben and Rey, which seemed to have come out of nowhere. Ever since they had arrived at the base they had been very close, holding hands and talking intimately, suggesting that there was far more to their relationship than former enemies. There had to be an interesting story there, and Rose and Jannah were determined to get to the bottom of it. They had all seen Rey’s reaction to the vote in Ben’s favour. Rose had told Jannah what Rey had told her about Ben saving her life from Snoke. Now all this talk of connection and intensity merely added fuel to the flames that Ben and Rey were attracted to each other - or were already lovers.  
’So this dyad thing,’ asked Rose, her eyebrows raising slightly. ‘How does it work?’  
‘It’s to do with a prophecy,’ said Ben, wincing as Rey thrust a steaming hot cup of tea into his hand. Thank you. ‘Two Force users, strong in the light and the dark, who will bring balance to the Force.’  
‘And that’s you two?’  
‘It appears to be.’  
‘But it’s more than that,’ said Rey, sitting back down next to Ben. ‘The prophecy says that the bond between us is stronger than life itself.’  
‘What does that mean?’  
‘I think it means we’re more powerful together than apart,’ suggested Ben, who had been wondering the same thing himself.  
‘It sounds heavy, whatever it means,’ commented Jannah, wondering how Rey and Ben managed to talk about it so calmly.  
‘And together you will bring balance - what does that mean?’ asked Rose, who was fighting a losing battle with the couch. Its cushions had lost most of their stuffing a long time ago, making it a challenge to get comfortable.  
‘The galaxy is in turmoil,’ said Ben, playing with his cup in his hands. ‘The constant war, unrest. The mistakes made in the past after the fall of the Empire. Too many bad things are happening, meaning that the Force is tipped towards the dark side.’  
‘And how will you two change that?’ Finishing her drink, Rose put the empty cup on the table.  
‘We don’t know,’ Rey had to admit, ‘the prophecy is a bit vague about what we actually need to do.’  
‘Like most things, we’ll make it up as we go along.’ Ben was trying to be reassuring but he could see that Rey was not convinced by his answer.  
‘But how could the Force create something like you two?’ frowned Rose, still trying to her her head around the basic idea of the dyad. ‘It’s not a conscious entity… is it?’  
‘It has its own will,’ explained Rey, feeling better now after drinking some tea. ‘The Cosmic Force, which it communicates to those of us that are sensitive to it.’  
‘But you had no choice about being part of this dyad,’ realised Jannah, shifting her legs to a more comfortable position. ‘How is that fair?’  
‘It’s what the Force has decided,’ she shrugged, resigned to it. ‘Like the Force chose Anakin Skywalker to be the Chosen One.’  
‘And you’re both happy with that?’  
‘Yes and no.’ Ben was being honest, he still struggled with the idea that the Force had chosen him for this purpose, even if he had accepted his connection with Rey. ‘For years I’ve hated the idea that something invisible controls my destiny. That and the legacy of being a Skywalker.’  
‘I don’t blame you for struggling with it,’ said Rose, finally understanding where Ben was coming from. She valued her own independence highly, and the thought of her life being directed by an external force was stifling. Then, on top of that, being manipulated by the dark side to do unspeakable acts; Rose was beginning to wonder if Ben’s life was nothing less than a tragedy. ‘I don’t think I’d like to be an instrument of the Force.’  
‘It’s a great responsibility,’ said Ben solemnly, sensing her change of heart and feeling grateful for it. ‘Nothing can truly prepare you for it.’  
Rose looked over at Rey, ‘That’s why you were struggling.’  
‘Either that or I haven’t got what it takes to be a Jedi…’  
‘No, it’s not that,’ said Ben immediately, concerned that she was still clinging onto the idea that she was not good enough to be a Jedi. Accepting, and coming to terms with, her Force abilities had been a big part of Rey’s journey, and, with Luke’s help, he thought she had put her fears behind her.  
‘From what you’ve told me,’ added Rose, ‘the Jedi Code became a list of impossible ideals.’  
‘But it is possible,’ insisted Rey, still unable to completely let go of the idea that she had failed in some way. ’Plenty of Jedi managed to follow it. But not me.’  
‘Nor me, nor Anakin, nor even Luke for that matter,’ Ben reminded her. ‘But you don’t have to be a Jedi. Like Luke said, the Order died out for a reason. It’s time for a new approach.’  
It was the same thing he had said to her in Snoke’s throne room, although not quite as dramatically. ‘Maybe.’  
‘I think Ben’s right.’ Although Rose was not completely aware of the wider context of the Jedi’s decline, she knew about the Order through the stories and legends attached to them. In her mind, they were presented as super-beings, not struggling individuals like Ben and Rey. ‘And you’re the one who told me the Jedi were flawed. Especially their attitude towards emotion and attachment. We can’t just ignore our emotions, it’s what makes us who we are.’  
‘But it’s not all the emotions,’ explained Ben, warming to his theme. ‘Just certain ones. We are taught that a good Jedi is always calm, at peace. That we should let our more, um, passionate feelings go. Anything that encourages selfishness, the desire for possession or action that benefits the individual.’  
‘Is that why Jedi are not allowed to fall in love?’ asked Jannah cheekily, winking at Rose.  
‘Yes,’ Ben nodded, sensing that there was a subtext to her question that he was going to ignore for now. ‘The only form of love that is compatible with the Jedi’s teachings is compassion. The love for everyone and everything connected by the Force.’  
Rey, who had also spotted Rose and Jannah’s unsubtle interest in her and Ben, added, ‘I would think love is the least of the Jedi’s worries. It’s anger that’s the most difficult thing to deal with.’  
‘Yeah, anger is an interesting one,’ mused Ben, ‘it can be a force for good, because it inspires us to change things. But the Jedi only see it in negative terms, leading to hate and suffering.’  
They chatted amongst themselves a while longer about the importance of dealing with emotions like anger, but Rey was getting tired, and soon she was yawning openly. It was late and seeing that Ben was tired too, she suggested that it was a good time to get some rest. Jannah and Rose were ready to turn in as well and, after wishing each other a good night, they all dispersed to their quarters.  
‘Where should I sleep?’ Ben asked Rey as she tidied away the empty cups, embarrassed to have to ask.  
’You can share with me,’ she said casually, trying not to make it into a big deal. ‘If you’re okay with that?’  
‘Of course.’ It surprised him, he would have expected Rey to be very precious about her personal space.  
Handing him a pile of spare blankets and pillows to carry, Rey headed out into the corridor. ’Wexley said he would try to dig out a spare mattress.’  
‘Great.’ He was that tired, Ben didn’t care if he had to sleep outside on the jungle floor.  
They walked through the base to Rey’s quarters, saying goodnight to Threepio and R2D2 as they went past the two droids. Ben was interested to see that activity in the base continued at night, albeit on a less frenetic scale. He had to admit that he liked the atmosphere in the base, it was much looser and relaxed than the First Order’s rigid obsessions with order and protocol. There was no attempt at hierarchy, no procedures to follow, not that he had bothered with such things anyway. It was exactly as Rey had told him on the journey from Ahch-To. The Resistance acted like a large, extended family, all mucking in together to get things done.  
‘How did it go with Poe?’  
‘Fine,’ he shrugged, ‘he’s just like I expected him to be. Practical. Putting the needs of the Resistance first. Just like Mom would have done if er… she’d have been here.’  
‘And that’s… okay?’ She could sense his regret and sadness that he had not come back before Leia’s passing.  
‘Of course it is.’ He frowned at her, wondering why she was expecting him to feel out of place. ‘I like it here.’  
‘You do?’ Rey didn’t know why she was surprised by Ben’s comment, but then she had always assumed that because Ben was a part of the First Order, he had agreed with its structure and approach. But it was becoming more and more clear to her that her assumption was wrong.  
‘Yes. There’s hierarchy, but its not restrictive. People help each other out. They treat each other like equals. Even you,’ he said, a faint smile on his face. ‘You’re treated like a person, not as the last representative of a dead military order. What’s not to like?’  
‘The food,’ Rey said immediately, which made Ben laugh.  
‘You can’t have everything.’  
When they reached Rey’s quarters, the mattress had not materialised. Too tired to go and ask about it, Rey said that she would take the floor herself, assuming that Ben, being used to First Order comforts, would want the bed.  
‘What are First Order comforts?’ he asked, amused. ‘There really weren’t any.’  
‘You mean you weren’t dining on the best food?’ she teased him, ‘sleeping in the comfiest beds?’  
‘Ha ha,’ he laughed mirthlessly, taking off his boots, followed by his sweater, which he threw onto a nearby chair. ‘All resources were poured into weapons and ships. There really were no perks working for Snoke.’ Taking a seat on the bed, he stretched his arms upwards, trying to relieve the tension he felt in his shoulders. ‘I need a good sleep.’  
Now it was her turn to get undressed, Rey suddenly felt very self-conscious. ‘Can you just…’ she floundered for a moment, wondering what to do with him.  
He felt embarrassed, he had not even thought about her privacy. ’Do you want me to leave?’  
‘No.’ She looked around for something to distract him. ‘Here, read this.’ Handing him one of her books, she quickly undressed and got into her pyjamas whilst he flicked through it. But his eyes were too tired to read and, going to return it with the others, he picked up the knife instead.  
‘What’s this?’ As soon as he touched it, he could feel its malign power.  
‘It belonged to Desolous.’  
‘The Sith?’ Whilst he was looking at the runes running along the blade, he heard voices starting to whisper in his head and he put it straight back down again. ‘Why do you have it?’  
‘I found it on Jakku,’ she explained, making sure her clothes were neatly stacked into a pile. ‘It has something to do with the death of my parents.’  
‘And you kept it?’  
‘I mean to destroy it,’ she said stubbornly, starting to undo her hair. ‘Beaumont says it can only be destroyed where it was made. In darkness.’  
‘Who’s Beaumont?’ He was still getting used to everyone’s names.  
‘He’s one of the pilots but he knows a lot about history. His dad was a famous scholar or something.’ Raking through her hair with her fingers to get rid of the knots, Rey was finally ready.   
Turning to look at her, Ben couldn’t help staring. With her hair falling around her face in waves, it softened her already lovely features. He also couldn’t help staring at her body, accentuated by the thin pyjamas that clung to every curve and angle… Embarrassed by his reaction, he looked away.  
Aware of his response to her, Rey felt her cheeks go hot. ‘If you need to, um, pee there’s a thing in the wall.’ She showed him how to press the button, then started to lay some blankets on the floor.  
‘You don’t need to do that,’ said Ben, taking one of the blankets from her, ‘I’ll be fine with just this.’  
‘You take the bed,’ said Rey firmly as he started to lie down on the floor, ‘I’ll have the floor.’  
‘Don’t be silly,’ he said, refusing to countenance it, ‘it’s your bed, I’ll have the floor.’  
Knowing that Ben was as stubborn as she was, Rey decided a radical proposition was needed to end the stalemate. ‘Let’s both have the bed.’  
‘What?’  
‘Or would you rather we both sleep on the floor?’ she said, laying down more blankets.  
He could see what she was doing. ’If you’re sure?’  
‘I wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise,’ she said, with a yawn. Coming over to him, she looked up into his eyes. ‘Besides, we’re friends now, aren’t we?’   
‘I hope so.’ He could see that she was sincere and it thrilled his heart.  
‘And friends share what they have.’ On her many missions for the Resistance, she had often ended up sharing a bed with her friends when necessary; Rose, Finn, even Poe. It did not seem that much different to share her bed with Ben.  
Ben looked over at the bed. ‘Do you have a favourite side?’  
‘By the door.’ She smiled faintly, ‘I thought that was just me.’  
Climbing onto the bed, Ben found it surprisingly firm and, fortunately, just long enough to fit his tall frame. Wrapping himself in a blanket, he tried to make himself as unobtrusive as possible and closed his eyes. Immediately, he felt his brain starting to shut down. It was blissful.  
The bed creaked slightly as Rey climbed on beside him. Although there was plenty of space between them, he could feel the heat of her body radiating out towards him, the soft sound of her breathing, and every move she made as she tried to get comfortable. But it wasn’t annoying. It was good to know that she was near.  
‘Ben?’  
‘Yes?’  
‘Why didn’t you tell me you were the informer?’  
He chewed his lip, wondering how he might get his reasoning across to her. ‘Have you ever had to hide something? Something important? You want to tell someone. But you’re too afraid in case they think you’re lying or it makes them think less of you.’  
‘Yes.’ He didn’t need to elaborate, she had hidden her connection to him from her friends for exactly the same reasons.  
Knowing that she understood, he closed his eyes again and turned over, ready for sleep. There was a long silence, and he was just drifting off when Rey spoke again.  
‘Ben?’  
‘Hmm?’  
‘Do you ever get lonely at night?’  
‘All the time.’ He wondered what she was hinting at. ‘Do you want a cuddle?’  
‘Please.’ She couldn’t help thinking back to when they had held each other on Ahch-To. In the midst of all her anxiety about their upcoming mission, she wanted to feel the same contentment as she had then.  
‘You should have just said.’   
Ben opened up his arms and she moved over to him, feeling a rush of warm and tender feelings as his arms encircled her, pulling her close. She wasn’t sure what the feeling was but she was hyper-aware of his hand gently resting on her shoulder, of the warmth of his skin as she lay against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.   
‘You can have a cuddle whenever you want,’ he murmured sleepily, closing his eyes.  
‘I wasn’t sure if you’d want to.’ Although he’d already declared his love for her, albeit in unfortunate circumstances, she had not exactly made her feelings towards him clear.  
‘No, no, it’s fine.’ Rey was the first person in years that he had even considered touching, or wanted be touched by. Before that, physical contact with others had been violent or uncomfortable and he had shunned it, covering up every inch of his body. He had lived a friendless, and loveless, existence since he had succumbed to the dark side, and now he trembled, realising how much this moment meant to him.  
Rey felt it too. ‘Night, Ben.’  
‘Night.’  
It was the best night’s sleep that both of them had had in ages.


	27. Preparing for Exegol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We discover a little about life on base. Rey helps Finn with his Jedi training. Ben helps Poe with their strategy against the First Order. Rey keeps having terrifying visions of a desolate wasteland that seems to be connected to Exegol. Ben fixes his lightsaber and with Rey's help, opens the holocron she found on Kef Bir. There is also some time for flirting! But then the First Order finds them and they must be ready to evacuate the base.

'Ready for some training?'  
Rey, accompanied by BB8, met with Finn outside the base bright and early. Generously, Poe had given him a couple of days away from working on the ‘lost children’ strategy so that Rey could help him to hone his latent Force abilities before the big push against the First Order.  
'You bet!' Finn was looking forward to it.  
Together they went deep into the jungle, to follow the same training course that Rey had developed using the Jedi texts. It started at the edge of a great canyon, a natural fault in the rock that had been eroded away for thousands and thousands of years by a river that still meandered far down on the valley floor. Vegetation smothered the rocky sides of the canyon, spilling out from the jungle atop the cliffs. It was a beautiful spot, filled with the calls of animals and bird song, and Rey often came here to meditate.  
‘Here we are.’ Rey put her bag down next to a tree stump that served as her orientation point and overlooked the valley. In front of them was the start of the training course, marked by a fallen tree that served as a bridge across to the opposite side, the course continuing on into the deep jungle.  
As BB8 nosed around in the undergrowth, Finn looked into the trees, seeing glimpses of red cloth hanging down. ‘We’re following the red ribbons, right?’  
‘That’s right,’ said Rey, reaching into her bag and retrieving a remote and a helmet. ‘You’ll need to grab hold of the ribbons as you follow the course. First we’ll do it without the remote.’ She gave a wolfish grin, ‘Then when you’ve mastered that, we’ll try it with the remote. And then, with the helmet on.’  
‘What, this helmet I can’t see in?’ Finn had put it on, only to find it plunged him into darkness.  
‘Yes, that’s the idea,’ explained Rey, pulling the helmet off his head. ‘It helps you to reach out with the Force, rather than relying on our other senses.’  
‘Okay,’ Finn took a deep breath, trusting that Rey knew what she was doing. This was the first time that she had taken him to her course; previously they had focused on meditation, on reaching out into the Force. Now he had mastered the basics, she wanted to see him put them into practice.  
They spent all morning repeating the training course, Rey mentoring Finn as to how she wanted him to demonstrate his physical ability in the Force. With Rey’s encouragement, he used the Skywalker lightsaber to try and beat the remote, slicing through ribbons and branches as he ran, jumping and twirling through the trees. Finn was athletic and graceful and he had little problem doing the course itself, although he struggled a little at first to gauge the direction of the remote. But after the third try, he got the hang of it and he was soon making steady progress, even with the helmet on.  
‘That’s twenty-four minutes and thirty-two seconds,’ said Rey, clapping him on the back as he returned from another attempt at the course. Grabbing the remote as it swung past her, she switched it off. ‘That’s just over two minutes off your personal best!’  
‘Great,’ panted Finn, removing the helmet and leaning against a tree whilst he got his breath back.  
‘You’ve still got a way to go before you beat my personal best,’ she grinned, ‘But you’re not doing badly.’ Overall, Rey found that Finn was a good student; eager to learn and willing to try different approaches to problem-solving. Most importantly, he had very quickly got the hang of reaching into the Force for guidance. To feel its energy in and between life, to draw on it and become part of it.  
‘I really thought that I could see the trees this time,’ remarked Finn, coming over to where she stood, already feeling his limbs starting to seize up after the intense burst of exercise.  
‘Good.’ After warming down, Rey told Finn that after a quick bite to eat, they would concentrate more on levitation and meditation. ‘You can see if you can lift BB8,’ she suggested as they sat down together on a fallen log to eat their meal.  
The little droid bleeped in alarm. ’It’s okay,’ laughed Finn, unwrapping his sandwich, ‘I’ll try not to drop you.’  
‘You can understand him now?’ asked Rey in surprise, provoking a torrent of bleeps from the indignant droid.  
‘I have done for a while,’ said Finn, taking a bite of his sandwich.  
‘Hmm, I wonder if it’s related to Force sensitivity then,’ she frowned, chewing her food around in her mouth. ‘But then Poe can understand BB8 too and he’s not remotely sensitive…’  
‘Ha, I’ll tell him that,’ Finn smiled, realising her error, whilst BB8 bleeped indignantly.  
‘Don’t,’ she pleaded, half-jokingly, ‘he already teases me enough.’  
They lapsed into silence, eating their sandwiches and listening to the tuneful racket of the birds and animals around them. After a while, Rey’s thoughts started to drift off, wondering how Ben was getting on. He was spending the morning with Poe and Rose, helping them with his knowledge about the First Order as well as working on some new propaganda. She hoped that they would go easy on him, she was a bit worried about promising to be there for him and then running off with Finn the first chance she got. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that it took her while to realise that Finn was trying to get her attention. ‘What?’  
‘You were miles away.’ He looked at her curiously, ’What are you thinking about?’  
‘I was just wondering how Ben was doing.’  
Her comment was straightforward enough, but there was a note in her voice which made Finn wonder if she didn’t think Ben would be okay. ‘He’ll be fine. He’s old enough to look after himself.’  
‘Yeah.’ Rey fell silent again, not sure why she was worried.  
‘You care about him a lot, don't you?’ remarked Finn, brushing sandwich crumbs from his knees.  
‘Yes.’ This time she admitted it to him. ‘I realised it when I almost killed him on Kef Bir.’  
‘You did what?’ Although she had mentioned it during her speech the day before, it had been in passing and it hadn’t really sunk in. Now, Finn stared at her, wide-eyed.  
Haltingly, Rey told him what had happened; how the dark side got into her mind, slowly turning her against Ben until she had stabbed him in cold blood, with his own lightsaber.  
‘It tried to tell you that you would be more powerful alone,’ was Finn’s observation after she had finished, ‘to destroy the dyad.’  
‘I think so.’ Half a sandwich remained on her knees, uneaten. ‘Luckily, I missed everything major according to Yanov.’ Yanov was the base’s medical officer, who Rey had forced Ben to go and get a check-up from. Although, thanks to the skill of the Lanais, there was little more he needed to do except slap some bacta onto the already healing wound.  
‘But you wanted to kill him?’  
‘In that moment?’ It pained her to say it. ‘Yes.’  
‘What does Ben think about that?’  
Rey gave a half-hearted smile, ‘He doesn’t care. He thinks it’s the best thing that could’ve happened.’  
‘Why?’ Finn hadn’t really had a chance to speak to Ben yet, but he felt the need to. There were so many unanswered questions in his mind, particularly about the dark side.  
‘It made him come back to the light, or so he thinks. I mean, he was getting there already. But it was like the final… push. Or “kick up the ass” as he called it.’  
‘He did?’ He hadn’t thought that Ben might have a sense of humour, he always seemed so serious.  
‘It’s so strange,’ Rey went on, almost to herself. ‘I knew he’d changed as soon as he came to Ahch-To. Everything about him was different. The way the Force appeared around him. The way he talked, moved, everything. He’s like a completely different person.’  
Finn digested this information, before realising what she’d actually said. ‘Ahch-To?’  
Suddenly Rey realised that there was so much she hadn’t told him yet. ‘I went there after I hurt Ben. I thought I was a danger to everyone.’  
‘So you wanted to hide away?’ It was beginning to make sense now, why she had taken so long to return from Kef Bir.  
‘Yes.’  
‘But Ben persuaded you to come back?’  
‘No, Luke did.’  
‘Luke? But he’s dead!’  
‘He is,’ agreed Rey, picking up her sandwich again. ‘But with death comes enlightenment for the Jedi. Some can appear to us as Force ghosts.’  
‘I never knew that,’ murmured Finn, realising that there was much to think about when it came to the Force.  
Finishing the rest of their meal, they started again on the training, focusing this time on levitation. With Rey’s encouragement, Finn worked hard and by the evening’s waning light, he was able to lift several rocks at the same time, even when standing on his head. He attempted to lift BB8 too, although the droid was not happy when Finn lost his concentration and dropped him hard onto the jungle floor.  
‘Sorry BB8!’ he shouted, immediately getting down and running over to the disgruntled droid. Carefully he checked him over; the only thing out of place was a slightly bent antennae.  
‘Let’s try some meditation instead,’ Rey suggested gently, seeing that Finn was getting tired.  
‘Sure.’ After his embarrassment with BB8, he readily agreed with her.  
After the long day of training, they made their way back through the jungle, exhausted but happy on Finn’s part, Rey pleased that she had started to pass on her knowledge of the Force, albeit in a very condensed form. As they came closer to the base, Rey could see that someone was sat in the lower branches of the tree where she used to sit with Leia. Leaving Finn, who continued back to the base with BB8, she went over to see who was there. The light was starting to fade from the sky, and she could hardly see Ben’s face at first; he was hidden in the shadows, barely breathing, his eyes closed. Bird calls and song echoed around the jungle, and she could sense small creatures rummaging around in the undergrowth below her, the last throes of life before the darkness came.  
Sensing her presence, Ben opened his eyes, his face lighting up. ‘You’re back.’  
‘Leia liked to sit in this tree.’ She thought he looked tired.  
Understanding flickered in his eyes, ‘I thought I could feel her.’ It would always hurt him that he had not seen his mother one last time before she passed away. ‘It’s odd,’ he went on, ‘as a child you never think that your parents have lives outside of you. You think they only exist because they are your parents.’ He sighed, ‘I think what I’m trying to say is that I wish I’d got to know my parents better.’  
Rey sat down next to him. ‘How old were you when you went to train with Luke?’  
‘I’d just turned ten.’  
It was far younger than she had assumed. ‘Luke trained you for all that time?’  
‘Thirteen years.’ Which was why his assumed betrayal had hit him so hard. ‘Perhaps I was lucky. The Jedi Order took in children when they were much, much younger. They almost rejected my grandfather because they thought he was too old to train.’  
‘How old was he?’  
‘Nine.’  
Rey shivered, unable to help thinking of the parallels with the First Order’s recruitment practices. ‘Why did they take them so young?’  
‘Before habits are formed, patterns of thinking that might impede the training process.’ Ben looked away. ‘Not that it would have helped me.’  
‘Was Snoke already inside your head by then?’  
Ben nodded. ‘I can’t work out how he managed it. The power that he had… Anyway,’ he attempted a smile, realising that he had been talking about himself too much again. ‘How did the training go?’  
‘Very well,’ Rey leaned back against the tree’s sturdy trunk, looking up through the leaves into the darkening sky. ‘Finn’s abilities are really starting to come out. There’s only so much we can do but I think he’ll be able to channel the Force a bit better before we leave for Exegol.’ Speaking of which, ‘How did you get on with the holocron?’  
‘Not very well,’ he admitted, rubbing his eyes. ‘I had a go but it’s locked up tight. Far more than the others.’ Which was to be expected, considering what he hoped to find in it.  
‘Not to worry,’ said Rey encouragingly, ‘we’ve got time.’  
‘But how much time?’ Ben was uncertain, ‘First Order intelligence was very close to tracking the Resistance here.’  
They sat for a moment together, quietly enjoying the jungle chorus and the novel light effects that the disappearing sun caused as it sunk behind the tree line. Rey had often done the same with Leia, and she was thankful to be able to share the same experience with her son, knowing that the fate of the Skywalker family was once more tied up with the light side of the Force. But after a while, it was difficult to ignore how tired and hungry she was.  
‘I’m going to get something to eat,’ she said to Ben, ‘Want to join me?’  
‘You go in, I’ll be right behind you.’ Sitting there, Ben experienced a great sense of peace, one that he had not felt in a long time. Partly it was due to Rey’s presence, but he couldn’t help thinking that his mother was close by, surrounding him in the Force.  
‘Okay,’ she smiled, knowing full well that he would be sat there for a while yet, and she left him by the tree.  
Once inside, she dumped her bag in her room and went to the canteen. She saw Finn sitting with Rose and Jannah; they waved at her and she waved back before going to join the short queue for food at the service hatch. Collecting her tray, she noticed it was another nondescript salad with some unidentifiable sauce, and a hunk of dense, chewy bread. Sighing, she went to get a drink from the machine and then joined the others at their table.  
Finn was surprised to see her alone, ‘Where’s Ben?’  
‘He’s still outside,’ said Rey, picking at her salad. Licking her fork, Rey realised that the sauce was not as tasteless as the salad, and soon she had smothered it all over the vegetables.  
‘You’re brave,’ said Jannah, who had given up with her meal, thinking it was pretty disgusting.  
‘They really are sinking to new lows,’ sighed Rose, who was pushing her salad around her plate. She addressed Rey, ‘Finn was just telling us how much he enjoyed his training with you today.’  
Rey smiled, her cheeks dimpling, ‘Is that so?’  
‘I’m not afraid to say it,’ smiled Finn, finishing off his meal. After all that exercise he was starving. ‘Rey’s the best teacher I’ve ever had…’  
‘The only teacher,’ laughed Rey, breaking her bread into more manageable chunks. ‘I wouldn’t compare myself to Luke or even to Leia for that matter.’  
‘Didn’t Luke give you a hard time?’ recollected Rose.  
‘He did at first,’ admitted Rey, ‘but only because he was anxious about repeating his mistake with Ben. And… I wasn’t the easiest of students.’ She cringed to think of it now, her frustrated attack on Luke in the rain, demanding that he tell her the truth about Ben.  
‘Well, I still think you’re a good teacher,’ said Finn, ‘the way you explain the Force… you help it to make sense.’  
‘I love listening to you talk about the Force,’ said Rose to Rey, ‘you manage to make something complicated sound so simple.’  
‘I suppose it is simple to me,’ said Rey, her jaw aching from the hard bread, which she soon abandoned on the plate. ‘I feel it all the time, around me. It calls to me. Although,’ she admitted, ‘I have struggled with it in the past. But now Ben’s returned to the light… everything’s right somehow.’  
‘You do seem a lot calmer,’ smiled Rose, finally giving up on her meal. ‘We were so worried about you.’  
‘I’m sorry,’ Rey felt so blessed to have found her friends, they really did care about her despite what she had put them through. Even Poe had only gently reprimanded her for taking the X-Wing, although he had been cross when she had admitted to burning it. ‘The darkness will always be there but… I feel like I’m in control of it now.’  
‘Is the dark side more powerful?’ asked Jannah, intrigued.  
‘It feels more powerful,’ said Rey, ‘but I don’t think it is. It pretends to know what you need, then it twists your perceptions so that you come to rely on your anger and hate to sustain it. It feeds your most selfish desires when the Jedi way is all about denial. Sacrifice. Putting the needs of others before your own. Using your abilities for the good of the galaxy.’  
‘What do you mean by denial?’ asked Finn, who had not been part of the conversation the previous evening.  
‘The Jedi weren’t meant to have anything for themselves. No belongings except for a lightsaber, no family except for the Jedi. Nothing that could lead to selfishness or jealousy.’ She pushed her tray away, explaining for Finn’s benefit, ‘The only love they could feel was compassion for others.’  
‘You mean they couldn’t even have…?’ Finn trailed off, suddenly unsure as to whether he wanted to be a Jedi if the pursuit of a close, loving relationship was off the cards.  
Rey nodded. ‘True Jedi find their sense of peace and purpose in the Force alone.’ She paused, ‘That’s the bit I struggle with.’  
‘But you don’t have a Jedi family to help you,’ Rose pointed out, ‘perhaps if you did, things might be different.’  
‘We’re your family,’ said Jannah, smiling brightly.  
‘For better or worse,’ added Finn.  
‘You are.’ A smile spread across Rey’s face. She knew that even if she couldn’t be a true Jedi, her friends cared for her, not for what she could be. It had taken her a while to see it, but Luke had been right.  
When Ben did not turn up for dinner, she grabbed as much as she could for him in a paper bag and went to find him. It was only when she checked her quarters that she found him, sat cross-legged on the floor, wearing only his pants, his eyes closed.  
‘Sorry,’ she said, putting her things down as quietly as possible, which turned out to be quite noisy.  
‘It’s okay,’ said Ben, opening his eyes, ‘I’m not getting anywhere.’  
She wondered what he meant, but then she saw the holocron lying in the corner of the room where he had thrown it. ‘You’ll damage it,’ she said crossly, going over to where it lay. Picking it up, she checked it over, making sure there were no cracks or dents.  
‘It’s fine’ said Ben morosely, picking himself up from the floor and stretching. ‘That thing’s as tough as old bantha hide.’  
Rey didn't know what a bantha was, but the allusion was not lost on her. Putting the holocron back on the shelf next to her other bits and pieces, she held out the paper bag to him. ‘I got you some food.’  
‘Thanks,’ he came over and took it from her, peering inside. It didn’t look appetising, ‘I think I’ll pass.’  
‘You need to eat something.’ She patted his stomach, feeling the tightness of his muscles beneath the skin. ‘I’m sure this body doesn’t look after itself.’  
Even a gentle touch from her sent electric charges through him and he tried hard to ignore the feelings that it provoked. ‘No, it takes a lot of work.’  
‘Then, eat.’ Leaving him, she went over to the mirror and started to take out her hair.  
He noticed that she was getting more comfortable around him, and it made him feel better about his presence in her life. He sat down to have a proper look through the bag. ‘Since when have you taken to worrying about me?’  
‘It’s what friends do,’ she smiled, brushing out the tangles in her hair with her fingers. ‘Do you worry about me?’  
‘All the time,’ admitted Ben, unwrapping a sandwich and sniffing it, tentatively. ‘But now I’m here, not so much. I can see how much your friends care about you, Rose, Finn, Jannah… even Poe.’  
‘Poe?’  
‘He didn’t stop going on about you all morning. He thinks you’re wonderful.’  
Rey felt her face go warm; to distract herself, she started to get undressed. ‘Poe thinks that about everyone.’  
‘Hmm, he is remarkably friendly,’ agreed Ben, putting the sandwich back and pulling out some fruit instead. ‘And handsome…’  
‘You think Poe is handsome?’  
‘Yes,’ said Ben, as if it was obvious, ‘Don’t you?’  
‘I’d not really thought about it.’ It was true, Rey hardly ever considered someone’s appearance unless it was very striking or unexpected, such as when Ben had first taken off his helmet on Starkiller Base. She had been expecting something far different and it had shocked her to see how young and vulnerable he looked, rather than the fearsome monster of her imagination. But a reaction like that was rare. In general, she was much more focused on trying to understand someone’s character or inner essence.  
Ben grinned and started to peel the piece of fruit. ‘You’re far too good to be true.’  
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Rey piled her clothes up on a chair, and climbed up onto the bed.  
He was thinking about a witty reply when he saw her staring at the fruit in his hand. ‘And so easily distracted.’  
‘That’s what you’re supposed to do with it,’ Rey murmured. She had tried to eat a similar fruit the other day, and found it bitter and tasteless.  
‘Here.’ He handed her some of segments. ‘Don’t tell me you tried to eat it with the skin on?’  
‘No-one told me.’ Taking the fruit, she agreed that it was much tastier without it.  
When Ben had eaten a couple more things from the bag, he threw the remains by the door before lying down on the bed.  
His untidiness irritated Rey but she was too tired to do anything about it. Lying down, she eased her tired limbs into a more comfortable position and turned over, only to find herself staring straight in Ben’s eyes. Captivated, she held his gaze, unable to help admiring what she considered to be his best feature. The intense dark eyes that, for her, held the secret to who he really was. They could not lie.  
Affected by her closeness, Ben felt tingles of electricity all over his body. The very air around them seemed charged and its vehemence frightened him. He wanted to say something, to break it, but the words stuck in his throat.  
It scared Rey too, but she couldn’t stop staring into his eyes. Then, she saw something materialising beyond his irises, there were images there, of… of what? As she focused on them, her vision started to blur and everything around her disappeared.

She was stood in a desolate wasteland, looking at a rock-built throne. There was someone sat in it, a shadowy figure, human in shape but devoid of features. As she watched, the figure started to move down from the throne, gliding towards her.  
‘Rey, see yourself,’ it said.  
Images flashed through her head: Ochi murdering her parents with the Sith knife; a little girl crying and shouting as her parents walked away from her; the sound of Finn sobbing in pain as Kylo Ren slashed him with his lightsaber; the ground cracking open as she stood in a snowy wood, staring at her enemy lying on the ground, his face bloody and torn; stormtroopers falling as she mowed them down with her blaster; the unbearable pain in her head as Snoke searched pitilessly through her memories; Unkar Plutt striking her so hard that she fell to the ground, threatening to sell her to the Hutts if she did not do as she was told; and last of all, the brief moment of joy in her heart as she raised the red lightsaber high and stabbed it hard into Ben’s side…

‘No!’ Rey came to, her lungs straining for air, her chest heaving with the effort. The horror in her head was still there, the images still vivid and she tried to focus on her body instead, but her heart was hammering in her chest, her stomach churning with fear and anxiety, and she had to fight the urge to vomit. She needed to escape, to run away from the visions that the shadowy being had revealed to her. But something was holding her down.  
‘It’s okay,’ she heard a soft voice speak, felt the gentle pressure of hands on her shoulders. ‘It’s me, Ben.’  
Forcing her mind to focus on her surroundings, she opened her eyes to find Ben beside her, holding her close to him. Immediately she knew why. She couldn’t stop shaking.  
‘Try to breathe,’ he suggested, modelling it for her, breathing slowly and deeply from the bottom of his chest.  
Gradually, painfully, she tried to match her breathing with his, gulping in deep, ragged breaths at first. As her breathing slowed down, to synch with his, the heat and tension in her head started to dissipate, and she began to feel calmer.  
‘That’s better.’ Gently, he stroked her hair. ‘What did you see?’  
‘Dreams.’ She didn’t want to think about them, the images were still lurking at the edges of her consciousness and any attempt to recall them would trigger them. Closing her eyes, she relaxed against him, allowing herself to feel comforted, to feel safe. ‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ she said quickly, in case he thought she wanted to.  
‘Sure.’ Ben wondered what she needed, her emotions were all over the place. ‘What can I do?’  
‘Just hold me,’ she whispered.  
So he did, until they both fell asleep.

The next day, Rey went out early with Finn in the morning to tackle the training course again, whilst Ben went to meet with Poe and D’Arcy in the command centre. All morning they worked together, discussing strategy, looking at what Finn, Jannah and Rose had been working on, and thinking about how best to meet the problems presented by the more extensive resources of the First Order. Ben agreed that turning the stormtroopers against their leaders was a good plan and, with Rose, he went over how they might broadcast the message to the fleet itself. By the time Finn came in to see how Poe and Rose were getting on, he found Poe studying a detailed schematic of the Senate building on Coruscant, thinking about how best they might break into it to get to the Chancellor’s Office, if the opportunity arose.  
‘You and Rose have already been in here,’ said Poe, when Finn came over. ‘Talk to me about it’s weak points.’  
‘We got in around the back here,’ said Finn, locating the right place on the map. ‘But we wouldn’t have even got near it if it wasn’t for MC and his gadgets.’  
‘What d’you mean?’  
‘He had some device,’ replied Finn, trying to remember exactly what MC did. ‘He pointed it at the security cameras to disrupt their signal, so we could slip right in.’  
‘Okay, that’s something to remember,’ murmured Poe, making a note on a data-pad.  
‘Isn’t it a bit premature to be thinking about getting into the Chancellor’s Office?’ Finn pointed out, thinking that there were a whole host of things that needed doing before they even considered it. ‘I mean, won’t Hux be up on one of the ships?’  
‘Not according to Ben,’ said Poe, looking up from the map. ‘He’s convinced that Hux will make Coruscant his base.’  
‘Based on what?’  
Poe smiled at Finn’s play on words. ‘Comments that Hux made to him when they were on Coruscant. And you know he can see into people’s minds, right?’  
‘No!’ Finn looked perturbed, ‘What, like yours and mine?’  
‘Well, not exactly,’ Poe back-pedalled a little bit, ‘he said he can get a sense of what someone’s thinking, some people more than others.’  
‘Doesn’t that creep you out a bit?’  
‘A little,’ confessed Poe, picking up his cup and taking a sip of caf. ‘But Ben said that he tries not to do it, if he can help it. I guess he’d want to know what was going on in Hux’s mind, though. For reasons of security.’  
‘I can see that being important,’ agreed Finn. Speaking of Ben, ‘How’s he been getting on?’  
‘Who, Ben?’ Poe thought for a moment. ‘Really well, actually. He’s a mine of information, I swear he’s got an archive for a brain.’  
‘Good.’  
‘But it’s more than that,’ Poe went on, glad to have something to talk about other than strategy and logistics. ‘He is genuinely a good man. I mean, look at him.’ Poe glanced over to where Ben was talking to Connix on the other side of the room. ‘He commands the room, he can’t help it. He’s got that thing, what d’you call it…?’  
‘Charisma?’ suggested Finn, who could see what Poe meant, even if he didn’t want to admit it yet. He wasn’t sure that he’d made his mind up about Ben Solo yet.  
‘That’s it. Charisma,’ nodded Poe, turning back to the map.  
‘He’s like his Dad,’ said Finn, reflecting on his memories of Han Solo. ‘He had the same thing.’  
‘Yeah, they’re people you want to listen to. Who you can follow, get behind. Like Leia too. It’s no wonder that Snoke wanted that for himself. But I can’t imagine what he had to do to twist that guy’s mind.’  
After talking to Rey, Finn understood a little more about the dark side and its seductive qualities, but he still couldn’t understand why Ben had made the choices that he had made. Maybe he never would. ‘But aren’t you a little afraid?’  
‘Of what?’  
‘That’s it still there. The darkness. Inside him.’  
‘Maybe.’ Poe hadn’t really thought about it that way. ‘But it’s like how Rey put it. We’re all darkness and light inside. No one is pure good or pure evil. It’s what we do with it, that’s important.’  
‘Rey said that?’ It certainly sounded like something she would say.  
‘Not in so many words,’ Poe struggled to remember now when Rey had said it, but he supposed it didn’t really matter. ‘But no. I don’t think Ben’s gonna turn around and murder us all in our sleep. But I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him in a fight either. I mean look at him, that power. That strength. With him, and Rey, on our side, we’ll be formidable.’  
Finn rolled his eyes. It was typical of Poe to see the advantages of having two Force-trained warriors. He imagined it was why Poe was also being so generous about his own training. ‘Yeah, I can see that.’  
‘He’s handsome too.’ Poe wasn’t exactly sure why, but he felt the need to tease Finn, to see if he could draw out how the younger man felt about him. There was still an air of tension between them, tension that he couldn’t explain, and he wanted to know what it was.  
‘I er, hadn’t noticed.’ Finn loosened his collar. Was it him or was the room getting warmer?  
‘Really?’ Poe was genuinely puzzled. ‘C’mon, that hair. Those eyes. Don’t tell me you haven’t looked at him and thought…’  
‘No. I haven’t.’ Finn was getting uncomfortable, what was Poe trying to do? Make him jealous? Then it hit him. That was exactly what Poe was trying to do, to provoke a response from him. You cheeky bastard! But it made also made him feel better that he had not been imagining Poe’s attraction towards him. It was something that he wanted to explore further, only he didn’t know how.  
‘Oh, okay.’ Poe could see that he wasn’t going to get the reaction he wanted. ‘Just me then.’  
Finn was about to respond, when he felt a pull on his subconscious, a nearby presence in the Force that brightened up the room around him. Looking over to the entrance, he saw that Rey had appeared, looking clean and refreshed, her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail.  
Paused on the threshold, Rey felt uncertain. The command centre was busy, but there were two dazzling imprints on the Force that captured her attention. One was Finn, who was stood over with Poe, and the other was Ben, stood on the other side of the room talking to Connix. Both of them looked over at her as she came into the room, presenting her with the conundrum of who to go to first, in case the other was put out by her preference.  
Go and see Finn.  
What? Rey looked over at Ben.  
I’m busy. He had turned back to Connix but there was a barely concealed smirk on his face.  
Okay, Solo. She made her way over to Finn, not wanting to give Ben the satisfaction of knowing that, if she had been left to her own devices, she probably would have gone to speak to him first.  
You know by now I can hear all your thoughts.  
‘Alright?’ When she reached him, Rey looked flustered, and Finn wondered what was going on with her.  
‘Yeah I’m fine.’ Or I would be if Ben Solo would get out of my head! ‘What’s going on?’  
D’you think I want to be in here?  
‘We’re looking at the schematics for the Senate building on Coruscant,’ said Poe, looking up to smile at Rey, ‘or rather, we were before we got distracted by talking about Ben Solo.’  
‘Not you as well,’ sighed Rey, remembering Ben’s comments about Poe the previous evening.  
Finn baulked at Poe’s openness, ‘You were distracted, not me.’  
Poe shrugged, ‘That’s true, I’ll own it.’  
‘Why?’ asked Rey innocently, ‘What’s he done now?’  
‘Nothing much,’ said Poe, going back to the map that was displayed on the console. ‘He just exists.’  
‘That’s the problem,’ said Rey, understanding his meaning, ‘he doesn’t need to do much to be a distraction.’  
Poe laughed appreciatively. ‘I guess you would know that better than anyone else,’ which only made Rey even more flustered.  
‘Can we get back to looking at this map?’ frowned Finn, trying to steer the conversation into less flirtatious territory. Not only had Poe been winding him up about Ben, now he was doing the same to Rey. ‘We need to think about how we’re going to capture this building from the First Order.’  
‘I thought it was too soon?’ shrugged Poe, who was enjoying winding them both up and didn’t want to stop.  
‘I thought you said…’  
‘Yeah, I know. I’m being facetious.’ Poe decided to stop, seeing that he was only annoying Finn now. And he didn’t really want to do that. ‘What do you think, Rey?’ asked Poe, thinking that her scavenging past and eye for detail might help them. ‘How would you tackle getting into this building?’  
Rey studied the map carefully. ‘Where are you trying to get to?’  
‘Here.’ Finn pointed out the Chancellor’s Office.  
‘Hmm.’ Rey crouched down, examining the hologram from all directions. ‘I’d be tempted to go in through the window.’  
‘Spoken like a true scavenger,’ laughed Poe, rubbing her shoulder fondly.  
‘It’s big enough,’ Rey pointed out, ‘although they might have reinforced it with something. Maybe it’s not such a good idea after all.’  
‘It would certainly surprise whoever was in there,’ conceded Poe, ‘but I think we’re looking for a less extreme entrance.’  
Later on, when Rey had finished helping Poe and Finn, she went to look for Ben. He had left the command centre before her, disappearing off somewhere with Connix, although Connix had returned later on her own. Unable to find him, she was just going to the canteen when she saw someone at her workbench. It was Ben, his dark head bent over in concentration.  
In-between helping Poe with the Resistance’s strategy against the First Order, and trying to unlock the secrets of the holocron, Ben had started to re-make his lightsaber from the healed crystal, using parts scavenged from around the base, and leftover bits from Rey’s earlier efforts, to craft a new handle. When Rey came over, he was fixing the final bit of covering over the exposed wires, trying to do a better job than he had done with his cross-guard.  
‘How are you getting on?’ she asked, coming to stand behind him. She had the urge to reach out and the touch the thick waves of hair that fell onto his neck, but she managed to restrain herself. He was busy after all.  
‘Nearly finished,’ he said tersely. He was trying to concentrate on his work but Rey’s presence was not making it easy, introducing a range of new ideas and thoughts into his head. ‘Can you pipe down a little?’ he asked irritably.  
‘What?’ Rey didn’t understand. She’d hardly said anything.  
‘Never mind.’ He finished soldering the last bit onto the handle and put the tools down. ‘There.’  
‘It looks good.’ Rey watched as he got up and pressed the switch on the handle, igniting the lightsaber. The blade crackled and hummed into life, but the light was now steady and true rather than the volatile, temperamental weapon he had used as Kylo Ren. Slowly, he moved it around, seeing how it fitted into his hand, testing the balance and the weight.  
‘Want to try it?’ she asked, taking both lightsabers out of her bag.  
‘Sure.’ As Ben waited for her, he practised twirling the weapon in his hand. It felt lighter, easier to use than the heavy, cross-guard design. It would mean a different style of fighting too, a return to his Jedi training. More graceful, less feral.  
Igniting her lightsaber, Rey turned to face Ben. ‘Ready?’  
‘Ready.’  
They started slowly, circling each other on the hangar floor, both on the defensive. Ben found this amusing. In the past, Rey had always been the one to attack him first, whilst now she was holding back. ‘What’s the matter?’  
‘I don’t know,’ she admitted, feeling self conscious. Before, she had attacked him because she hated him. Now that she liked him, she had no reason to.  
‘Relax.’ After another circle, he went in for the attack, adjusting his position as Rey blocked him. It was the impetus they both needed and soon they were battling across the large space, practising their moves. Both found that their combat style was changing, not only in response to their lightsabers being better balanced but because of their connection. There was a new fluidity, a greater understanding between them, and soon they were able to anticipate each others’ moves without even thinking.  
Some of the technicians working at the back of the hangar heard what was going on and soon a small crowd had gathered to watch - including Finn and Rose - who were intrigued by, and impressed with, the prowess of the two Force users. Ben and Rey themselves were oblivious, lost in their own world, spinning and weaving across the space as if they were taking part in an elaborate performance rather than a fight.  
‘Look how they move,’ breathed Rose. She had never seen a fight with lightsabers before and it amazed her, the hum and the crackle of the blue and yellow blades adding drama to the action.  
‘Yeah.’ Finn was stunned by the display; Ben and Rey were well suited, their moves matching each other perfectly.  
By now, the two combatants were both dripping with sweat and starting to tire. As they slowed down, Rey suddenly noticed that they had an audience and she stopped, wondering what was going on.  
‘What?’ Panting heavily, Ben had his back to the crowd.  
‘Look behind you,’ said Rey, starting to laugh.  
Turning round, Ben saw what had tickled her. They both received a round of applause; Ben looked embarrassed but Rey was amused by the attention and performed a small bow. As the crowd drifted away, Finn and Rose came over.  
‘That was awesome,’ said Rose, looking in wonder at the two Jedi. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’  
‘It’s new to me too,’ panted Ben, wiping the sweat from his face with his sleeve. The last time they had fought together had been in Snoke’s throne room, when they had defeated his Praetorian Guards. But even then, they had not reached the same levels of co-ordination as they had now.  
Glancing at Ben, who nodded, Rey turned to Finn. ‘We were wondering if you wanted to have Anakin’s lightsaber.’ She held it out to him.  
‘Really?’ He stared at her, surprised by the gesture. He had been using it in his training but this seemed a more permanent arrangement. ‘But… don’t you need it?’  
Rey shook her head. ‘We’ve both got our own.’  
Ben nodded, ‘It’s yours, if you want it.’  
Finn didn’t know what to say. It was unlikely he would get to make his own lightsaber for a long time, and this would tide him over until it was possible. ‘Thanks, guys.’  
‘I’m sorry it’s not perfect,’ said Rey, handing it over to him. ‘It’s still a bit fizzy at times.’  
‘Fizzy?’ Finn looked confused. He hadn’t noticed anything up with it during his training sessions.  
‘I think that’s the technical term for the transmission of the crystal’s energy to the blade can be a bit slow,’ smiled Ben.  
‘I’m glad you understood that.’ Finn was overwhelmed by their gift, especially since the lightsaber’s history was important in both of their stories. It nestled in his hand comfortably, as if it accepted its new owner.  
‘We can get some more practice in tomorrow,’ suggested Rey, ‘if you’ve got time?’  
Finn looked at Rose. He wanted to but there was so much to do, and his two days were up already. He had the feeling that Poe, and Rose, would want him to concentrate on his other duties now.  
‘Let’s see what tomorrow brings,’ said Rey, sensing his hesitation.  
‘Does she do that to you?’ Finn asked Ben, attaching the lightsaber to his belt. It felt right to have it there.  
‘All the time.’  
‘Don’t you find it annoying?’  
Rey glared at him and Ben settled for a diplomatic shrug instead. ‘You get used to it.’  
‘He does it to me too.’ Whilst she was pleased that the ice was beginning to thaw between the two men, she didn’t want it to mean them ganging up together to annoy her, like Poe and Finn often did.  
That made Finn laugh, especially when Ben winked at him, and Rey was about to say something when Finn’s comlink started bleeping. Answering the call, Finn said that Poe wanted him and Rose back in the command centre, something urgent had come up. Reluctantly they left Ben and Rey, who started to pack up the tools and tidy up the workbench. After they had finished, Rey suggested to Ben that they had another try at opening up the holocron after they had eaten.  
‘I suppose.’ Ben was reluctant after his previous failure, but he knew it wouldn’t open itself.  
‘Can I help?’ offered Rey, picking up the few bits she needed to take with her.  
‘Maybe… you can make sure I come back.’ Ben wondered if Rey’s presence might actually improve his chances of opening the holocron. Although he felt much stronger in the light after he had renounced the darkness on Kef Bir, there was nothing to say that it wouldn’t try and claim him again.  
After a quick, lacklustre bite to eat in the canteen, they returned to Rey’s quarters. Once there, Ben took off all of his clothing except for his pants, explaining when Rey asked him if it was absolutely necessary to be semi-naked, that it was easier to channel the Force without the additional baggage of clothing. Rey thought that this was a novel adaptation of the Jedi’s desire to avoid extraneous material possessions, reflecting that, in his own way, Ben still clung to quite a lot of Luke’s teaching.  
Sitting cross legged, Ben placed the holocron on the floor in front of him and closed his eyes. Rey sat down on the bed, intrigued by the process. He had told her that it was like doing a puzzle, except you had no idea of the perimeters of the puzzle, what it consisted of, or even how to do it. Working out those conditions first were essential to cracking the holocron’s secrets. He needed absolute concentration and Rey tried hard to empty her own mind, to not intrude upon his. It was hard.  
Objects, even the motes of dust on the floor, started to float up around him as Ben reached deep into the Force, trying to break his way into the holocron. He could hear voices calling him and he went into a deep trance. Rey could feel his apprehension and the growing influence of the darkness as he reached into his most deeply held fears, remembering the pain he inflicted on his family, the abuse and horror he suffered at Snoke’s hands. It was painful for her to bear, and part of her wished that she had not agreed to go through with it. But she could see that Ben was struggling more than she was. Sweat had broken out across his forehead, and his eyes were closed tight, the muscles in his neck tensed with the effort. The tension in the room increased, and she felt herself being swept up into a maelstrom of emotions - anger, suffering, despair, hate. She wanted to reach out to Ben, to tell him that everything was going to be okay, that he could heal himself with time. But then her vision started to blur and the room disappeared.

She was standing in the desolate wasteland, waiting. Staring at a rising wall of barren rocks in front of her. A feeling of dread crept over her as she waited, and waited… Then it came, a dark shape emerging from the rocks. It looked like smoke but it was thicker, palpable, forming a malevolent cloud that drifted towards her.  
‘Rey. See the future.’  
She tried to run, tried to shout but she was rooted to the spot, unable to move as the cloud surrounded her and filled her head with images of horror. A bloodied child crying for its mother… a huge explosion throwing Resistance soldiers high into the air… Finn and Jannah rushing into battle with their blasters drawn… The Falcon spiralling out of control, heading towards the surface of an unknown planet… Ben lying on the ground, completely still, his eyes closed…

‘Rey?’  
She heard a voice calling her name softly and she opened her eyes to see Ben standing over her, his dark eyes filled with concern.  
‘Are you alright?’  
She was lying on the bed. Sitting up, she looked at him in confusion. He was holding the holocron, looking dishevelled. ‘What happened?’  
‘You fainted.’ Ben was worried about her, he had come out of his trance to find the holocron open but Rey unconscious on the floor. Clearly the process had affected her through their connection. Unsure what to do, he had laid her out on the bed and was just thinking about getting some medical help when she had thankfully woken up.  
She tried to think back but it was a blur. ‘What about the holocron?’  
‘It’s open,’ he said, his success somewhat marred by her experience. ‘How are you feeling?’  
‘Fine.’ She was more bothered about the holocron. ‘Can I see it?’  
‘Here.’ He handed it to her.  
‘How does it work?’  
‘Look into it.’  
Holding it up, Rey peered inside the glass panels. Inside she could see swirling shapes and symbols and, then, as she watched, a hologram appeared, projected up and outside of the holocron and into the room. ‘It’s a map!’  
‘That’s right.’  
It was a navigational chart, a part of space that Rey did not recognise, except for Ahch-To at its southern-most edge. It was a region of obscure planets orbited by strange shaped moons, with names such as Ilum, Dassal, the Deep, Rakata Prime, and Csilla. Whilst she studied it, Ben explained that mysterious phenomena made the region almost impassable, and precise co-ordinates were needed to navigate around the treacherous solar storms, magnetospheres, black holes and gravity wells that lay in wait for the unwary traveller. The co-ordinates had been discovered by a mysterious species known only as the Attendants, and they floated up and around the various landmarks on the map as her eyes flitted from one part of it to another. ‘Where’s Exegol?’  
‘Here.’ He pointed to a planet on the furthest reaches of the area, orbited by two moons. He also showed her why it was so tricky to find; ‘The Queluhan Nebula, here, distorts time and space around it, making it impossible to use hyperspace travel to get there.’ He smiled at her, ‘It’ll take a couple of really skilled pilots to find it.’  
‘And this belonged to Snoke?’  
‘Yes.’  
She handed the holocron back to him. ‘What do we need to do?’  
‘We need to wire this into the TIE,’ he said, ‘another puzzle.’ But at least it was a practical one.  
As Ben studied the map, Rey started to remember things from before she had fainted. The intensity of the feelings that he had needed to evoke to gain entry to the holocron. There had been a vision of darkness. ‘I saw the same thing as before,’ she murmured to herself, which caused Ben to look up. ‘A place of desolation.’  
‘Where?’  
‘I don’t know,’ she looked at him. ‘I didn’t recognise it at all.’  
Ben put the holocron down, thinking she looked pale. ’Are you sure you don’t need anything?’  
In the end, Rey agreed that she would like something to eat and drink, so Ben wandered off into the base in search of refreshments. It was only when he’d left that Rey realised that he had forgotten to put the rest of his clothes back on. It made her smile.

The following day, Ben spent the morning with Poe, Connix and Rose, using the holocron to create a map for the Resistance and working on ideas for their propaganda, whilst Rey went to help Jannah and Finn with some of the technical elements of their mission. Later that same afternoon, Ben and Rey both squeezed themselves inside the cramped cockpit of the TIE, to work out what they needed to do to with the holocron to get them to Exegol.  
‘We can get another seat in here,’ said Rey, pointing to a small space over on the right hand side. Sat in the pilot’s seat, Ben was pulling out handfuls of wires from underneath the console. ‘Hmm? Yeah, you might.’ He grinned, ‘I don’t know why you can't sit here with me.’  
It had just about worked on the journey from Ahch-To, but Rey shook her head. ‘Not all the way to Exegol.’  
‘Shame.’ His eyes twinkled.  
Was he flirting with her? ‘You know, there is a TIE with two seats. Why can’t we use that?’  
‘Poe says he needs it for something else.’  
‘What about the Falcon?’  
‘Lando needs that,’ Ben replied patiently, finally locating the wires he needed. He had spoken to Lando about the same thing that morning, only to find out that his ‘Uncle’ was going on his own mission once Chewbacca had got back from Kashyyyk. As Poe had been hoping, a message had finally come from Sidon Ithano, offering help to the Resistance in the coming campaign against the First Order, the only caveat being that Lando flew out to meet him at an agreed location in the Outer Rim. But Ben was also reluctant to use his dad’s ship for practical reasons, unsure of the wisdom of modifying it any further. It was already a complicated mishmash of competing systems, mysterious parts, and reams of wiring that he was loathe to disturb.  
Rey sensed some underlying disquiet in Ben’s manner. ’You’re nervous about seeing Chewie, aren’t you?’  
‘I can’t think why.’ Putting the wires aside, he peered under the console, seeing if he had missed anything.  
‘I don’t think you need to worry,’ she reassured him.  
Ben stopped what he was doing and regarded her curiously. ‘Last time I saw him, he nearly killed me. Understandably, of course.’ The scar on his abdomen made itself felt, just to remind him.  
‘But when we went to Ossus, he was telling me about the Wookie’s idea of justice. That it was about making amends, not punishing those who have done wrong.’ She picked up the wires that he had left on the console, ‘And he remembered you fondly.’  
Ben considered this new information. ’You think he might be okay, then?’  
‘I do.’  
‘Good,’ Ben said, disappearing back under the console. ‘I’m quite attached to my arms.’  
Seeing that there was little she could do for the time being, Rey decided to go and scavenge for spare parts. ’I’ll go and see what I can find.’  
‘Okay,’ he stuck his head out, ‘remember to look for those little octagonal shaped things, you know, what are they called…?’  
‘Don’t worry, I know what you mean.’  
Leaving Ben fiddling about underneath the console, Rey hopped out of the TIE and went on the scavenge. In particular, she made a beeline for the pile of trash that had built up next to the large MC85 star cruiser that was to be the new flagship of the Resistance. After the loss of the Raddus, Poe had been determined to find a replacement, and he had spent months scouring the Outer Rim for something suitable. It had taken time but eventually he tracked down a secondhand cruiser that had once belonged to notorious pirate, Biden Maye, who had met an unfortunate accident after crossing paths with a First Order patrol. It had been languishing in a shipyard for several months, unloved and forgotten, until Poe had bought it and arranged for it to be towed back to Ajan Kloss. It was so large that a section of jungle had been cut down to accommodate it, the technicians tethering it to a makeshift frame made out of old steel girders and tree trunks. For many months, a team of technicians and pilots had been working on it to bring it back into shape, replacing seats and faulty systems, repairing the damaged hangar bay and sprucing up its battered interior. But their trash was Rey’s treasure. Bathed in sunshine, Rey enjoyed rooting around in the pile, finding a seat, some worn looking, but still useful, wiring that might help with the holocron and a variety of metal fittings that included nuts, bolts and screws.  
Returning to the TIE, she saw that Rose had climbed up and was talking to Ben through the top hatch. A warm feeling stirred inside her. Although she would not have admitted it to Ben, she was pleased that her friends were starting to like him, and even Finn was warming to him after she had told him it was really Ben’s idea to give him Anakin’s lightsaber. Dropping the pile of bits next to the landing supports, she called up, ‘Hey Rose!’  
‘Oh hi,’ Rose looked apologetic. ‘I’m not in the way, am I?’  
‘No, not at all.’ Rey smiled happily, pausing at the bottom of the ladder.  
‘I was just seeing what Ben was up to…’ Rose started to say, when there was a bang and a stream of curses floated out from the cockpit. ‘Are you okay?’ she called down to him.  
‘Yeah,’ came his voice from inside, ‘I think we’ve got a dodgy motivator.’  
Rey rolled her eyes. Clearly Ben’s tinkering skills were as good as his father’s. ‘Let me have a look.’ She climbed up to the cockpit, Rose moving aside so that they could both fit onto the top of the ladder.  
Peering inside, she could only see Ben’s behind, whilst the rest of him was jammed into the space under the console. But she could hear him muttering to himself whilst trying to remove the relevant part. ‘Ben?’ She tried not to notice how his tunic had become caught on the edge of the console and was riding up, revealing just how tight his pants were underneath it. ‘What have you done?’  
‘Nothing,’ he protested, wriggling out of the confined space and sitting back on his heels to look at the motivator. ‘It was put in badly.’ He showed her the part, it was singed along one edge where he had removed it but otherwise it turned out to be okay.  
‘What are you two doing?’ Rose was confused, it looked like they were trying to wire something into the hyperspace motivator.  
‘Yes, that’s exactly what we’re doing,’ said Ben, not realising that he had picked up Rose’s subconscious thoughts, whilst Rey pointed to the holocron.  
‘Ah, I see,’ said Rose, their efforts suddenly making sense. Ben had shown them how difficult it was to get to Exegol when they had been working on the map. ‘So that will help you navigate to the safest point?’  
‘Hopefully,’ said Ben, sifting through the various wires that he had already removed.  
‘And you’re both going in this?’ Rose raised an eyebrow.  
‘Yes.’ Rey wondered why their method of transport was becoming such a big deal. ‘All the other ships are taken.’  
‘It looks a bit… cramped that’s all,’ said Rose, who had noticed Rey trying not to stare at Ben’s ass when he had been stuck under the console. It tickled her to think that they would be on a tiny ship together all the way to Exegol.  
‘I’ve got a seat,’ Rey pointed out, ‘I just need to fit it.’  
‘But you got back from Ahch-To without one,’ Rose couldn’t help teasing her friend, ‘although I don’t know how, you must’ve had to sit on Ben’s knee.’  
‘I didn’t enjoy it,’ said Rey defensively, whilst Ben sniggered to himself as he fiddled with the holocron.  
‘I’m sure you didn’t,’ said Rose, stifling a laugh. Their enthusiasm for each other wasn’t very subtle, but neither seemed to want to admit it. ‘Anyway, I better get back to work. I’ll catch you two later.’  
Whilst Rose went away, Rey leaned over into the cockpit to see what Ben was trying to do. He had found some openings in the holocron and was comparing them to the outlets on the motivator. ‘I found some of those fittings you wanted.’  
Ben nodded, ‘Give them here then.’  
Returning with the various items, she climbed into the cockpit to help. Ben moved over but there wasn’t much room and she had to squeeze in next to him on the pilot’s seat. Was it her or was it getting warmer?  
‘It’s you,’ said Ben mischievously. He opened up his hand for the fittings and she dropped them into his palm.  
‘You wish,’ she muttered under her breath, as he tried various fittings against the opening.  
‘I do.’ Choosing one, he handed it back to her, putting the rest into a small well on the console. He regarded her coolly for a moment. ‘Hold it on, will you?’  
Rey held the fitting against the holocron whilst Ben pushed the wire into it before tightening it up with the spanner. After the first one, there were three more to do.  
As they worked, consciously or not, they started to relax around each other, drifting closer together until their heads were almost touching. After a while, Ben found that he was concentrating less and less on what he was doing and more and more on Rey herself. He noticed the soft gleam of her hair, the way she bit her lip as she watched what he was doing.  
But Rey wasn’t really interested in watching Ben tightening screws up. She was thinking about what Poe had said yesterday, how it was impossible to ignore Ben. As she gazed at him, she did start to think that yes, he was attractive, especially when he was concentrating. And she couldn’t help noticing how his lips moved ever so slightly when he was absorbed in an activity. Come to think of it, how had she not realised before how beautiful his lips were? They were full, soft and inviting. Idly, she wondered what it would be like to kiss them…  
‘Rey?’  
Coming out of her reverie, Rey realised that Ben was waiting for her to attach the next fitting. But he didn’t look cross. He looked more… curious. With a hint of amusement. Then she had a horrible thought. He must have known what she was thinking about, and she immediately felt embarrassed, ’Sorry.’  
‘What for?’ he asked softly. He couldn’t take his eyes away from her. He knew what she had wanted to do and it had thrown him. Now that they were sharing so much of their time together, he had tried hard to suppress the intensity of his feelings for her. But to think that she might feel the same way both thrilled and scared him. It meant he might have to do something about it - and he had no idea what.  
His attention had the same effect on Rey. She knew that her feelings for him had changed, were changing all the time. Part of her wanted to explore them but equally, there was a job to do. To make matters worse, she could feel the pull of his longing and desire for her, could see it in his eyes. ‘Ben…’  
Reluctantly, he shifted his concentration back to the holocron. ‘Have you got that other fitting?’  
‘Of course,’ she said mechanically, reaching over to get it.  
They didn’t speak about it again but worked solidly until the modifications were finished. Fitting in the chair caused the most disagreements. Ben was dubious about whether it would fit and he was right to some extent. Eventually, they managed to install it only after removing all of the arm supports, and shaving some of the side off the existing seat, much to Ben’s chagrin.  
‘That’s not going to be comfortable,’ he commented, watching as Rey tested the new seat out.  
‘It’s fine,’ she insisted, before fixing it to the side panels of the TIE with strong tape, having little else to hand. Horrified at the destruction she was meting out to his ship, Ben looked away.  
When Rose returned from an afternoon of staring at computer screens to see how they had got on, she found Ben and Rey in the hangar, drinking cups of tea and laughing about a silly story Rey had heard from Lando about Han. The TIE had gained its new seat, a new navigational device in the form of the holocron, as well as several other spruced up systems. ‘You did it.’  
‘Eventually,’ said Rey, glancing at Ben, who returned her look with a half-hearted smile.  
‘Mangling my ship in the process,’ he said, but not very seriously.  
‘How so?’  
Ben didn’t get the chance to respond because Connix and D’Arcy appeared in the hangar, clapping their hands for silence.  
‘Poe’s called a meeting,’ said D’Arcy, her face showing the strain of several nights without proper sleep. ‘Everyone to the command centre, please.’  
Dropping their empty cups into the trash, Ben and Rey went with Rose to the main hub of the base, which was rapidly filling up with members of the Resistance, everyone clustering around the main projector at its centre. Seeing Poe and Lando talking together, Rey immediately looked for Finn. Scanning the crowd, she eventually saw him standing with ‘Snap’ Wexley, chatting animatedly to the larger man. She was about to go over when she saw Poe trying to get her attention by waving his arm.  
‘Tell Ben to come over here,’ he mouthed, knowing he would not be heard over the considerable noise.  
Fortunately Rey understood what he wanted. Turning to Ben, who was laughing about something or other with Rose, she touched his arm gently to get his attention. ‘Ben,’ she said, when he turned to her, ‘Poe wants you.’  
‘Why?’  
‘I don’t know.’  
‘Are you coming?’  
‘No,’ Rey stayed where she was, pleased to be part of the crowd. ‘He only wants you.’  
‘I doubt it, Poe’s like that with everyone,’ he quipped but the joke went over Rey’s head, and he made way over to where Poe was waiting, feeling nervous. Get a grip, Solo.  
‘He thinks he’s funny,’ smirked Rose, who did get the joke.  
‘I don’t,’ frowned Rey, who didn’t.  
Rolling her eyes, Rose pulled her friend over to where Finn was waiting patiently for the meeting to start. ‘How’s it going?’ he asked the two young women, giving them both a weary smile.  
‘You don’t need to ask me,’ laughed Rose, who had spent the most of the day with him.  
‘Me?’ asked Rey, moving out of the way as some technicians pushed past to reach their colleagues. When Finn nodded, she went on, ‘Happy we got the ship finished.’  
‘You and Ben?’ When she nodded, he asked her, ‘When are you off to Exegol?’  
‘In the morning.’  
‘That soon, huh?’ Finn hadn’t realised that Rey’s departure was imminent. He was about to ask her what she planned on doing that evening when a hush spread across the room. Poe was about to speak.  
Pushing his messy, dark curls away from his face, Poe surveyed the room with a serious expression. There was still much to do but he hoped that the strategy he had been working on with his team - including Ben, Finn and Rose - would go some way to redressing the growing concerns that they were not doing enough to challenge the domination of the First Order. The meeting was the first time that he had shared this strategy with the wider Resistance members, and he felt the nerves tingling in his stomach.  
‘Thanks for coming at such short notice,’ he began, smiling apologetically. ‘I know you’ve got better things to do, believe me I have too, but I just wanted to update you on our overall strategy before some of our team disappear on their missions.’ Here, Poe indicated Lando and Ben stood next to him. ‘As you all know, confrontation with the First Order is imminent, thanks to its brutal response to the uprisings on Kijimi, Naboo and Coruscant. We’ve just found out that the Queen of Naboo has been deposed, and in retaliation to widespread protests from the people of Naboo, many innocent citizens have been killed. We’ve had several transmissions asking for our help, and we’ve promised to respond as soon as we can, but when we do respond, it has to be decisive. We only have one shot at this. At the moment I can only be vague about when the final push will happen, but, thanks to Ben, we have a better idea of Hux’s strategy.’ He looked at Ben, waiting for him to speak.  
Clearing his throat, Ben explained that, ‘Hux’s aims will be to crush all dissent, grow the fleet, and secure Coruscant as the capital of his new Empire. He will be looking for new sources of funding and resources, which is where Exegol comes in.’  
‘Sorry, what’s Exegol?’ asked one of the technicians, Breha, a young woman with dark skin and friendly eyes.  
‘Exegol is a planet in the Unknown Regions,’ Ben explained, looking over at the projector. ‘Can we get the map up, Poe?’  
‘Sure.’ Poe pressed a button on the console, bringing up a map of the Unknown Regions that had been created by Rose and Connix using the information from the holocron. In response, there was a murmur of interest from around the room and Artoo-Detoo bleeped insistently.  
‘You’re right, my friend, I do not believe this part of the galaxy has ever been charted in this detail before,’ said Threepio, regarding the map with interest. ‘There is some most unusual phenomena here, which I daresay will make finding this Exegol extremely dangerous.’  
‘You’re right, Threepio,’ agreed Ben, coming over to the pertinent parts of the map. ‘Exegol - which is here, right at the far edges of the region - is where Snoke came from, and where the remains of the Empire became the First Order after they fled there following the Battle of Jakku. All we know about it is that it’s the source of a powerful dark side energy, and it’s likely to be where the First Order’s resources initially came from.’  
‘And if Hux is looking to augment his power,’ added Poe, ‘Exegol might become more important. We need to get there and find out what’s there before the First Order does.’  
‘Do the First Order know about Exegol?’ asked Snap.  
‘They know that it exists,’ replied Ben. ‘An earlier holocron I found contains references to it but nothing about what’s there. Hux’s father was one of the Imperials who fled there, but he, and most of the senior officers who knew what happened in the Unknown Regions are long dead. All except one, Allegiant General Pryde, who remained in the Unknown Regions. I was unable to find his location but Hux might have more success.’  
‘Which is why Ben and Rey have volunteered to head over to Exegol for us,’ said Poe, looking over at Rey, who smiled nervously when everyone turned to look at her. ‘To claim it for the Resistance, or at the very least neutralise its usefulness for the First Order.’  
‘It’s imperative that we stop any resources on Exegol from getting into the First Order’s hands,’ reinforced Ben. ‘Snoke’s plans included spreading out from this galaxy into others, expanding the reach and influence of the First Order even further than even the Empire dared.’  
There was a gasp from around the room. This was not a strategy that many had considered possible.  
‘What do you mean?’ asked Vanik, a pilot with captivating blue eyes. ‘Snoke wanted to expand outside of the known galaxy?’  
‘Yes,’ said Commander D’Arcy, who was standing next to the projector with Connix. ‘We received some intel, thanks to Threepio’s spy network, that a research and development unit is being built on Coruscant. A unit that will investigate the possibilities of inter-galactic space travel. It’s likely that Hux wants to follow Snoke’s original plans.’  
‘Hux only cares about expansion and technological superiority,’ added Ben, when she had finished. ‘Once he’s exhausted the resources of this galaxy, including its children, he’ll look for somewhere else to colonise.’  
There was a quiet murmur as the implications of his words sank in, and Poe gave everyone a moment to digest the information before he continued. ‘You see why,’ he said once the hubbub had died down again, ‘it’s so important that we stop the First Order now. Before it grows in ambition and power.’  
‘But we don’t have the resources to stop them,’ said one of the newer pilots, Hurrie Chind; he was concerned that they were taking on too much. ‘If they can develop inter-galactic travel… it’ll be impossible to stop them.’  
‘Difficult, yes. Impossible no,’ said Poe optimistically. ‘Finn and Rose have been working on a strategy that will make it possible, I think, to take down the First Order with our current resources. Finn, Rose, can you tell us about your strategy, please?’  
Surprised to be in the spotlight, Rose and Finn looked at each other, not sure who should speak first.  
‘You go first,’ said Finn to Rose, thinking he was being generous.  
‘For weeks now, we’ve been working with two groups of defectors, stormtroopers that have spontaneously left the First Order,’ explained Rose, looking around the room as she spoke. ‘Trying to find out what made them put down their weapons and refuse to serve. It seems that it’s a combination of things. The programming breaks down, and some troops become aware that they don’t have a sense of identity outside of the First Order. Others refuse to do what they’ve been asked to do because they know, subconsciously, that it’s wrong.’  
‘We need to get more stormtroopers to defect,’ continued Finn. ‘To put down their weapons and refuse to serve. It’s the only way that we can win. We need to start a rebellion to end the war.’  
There was a murmur of enthusiasm as pilots and technicians alike could see the benefits of their strategy.  
‘With Ben and Lando’s help, we’ve decided on a two-fold strategy. Rose, Jannah and I will lead a mission to Coruscant,’ said Finn once the noise had died down, ‘with Lando, Chewie and Prue leading a mission to Naboo, hopefully with reinforcements from the Outer Rim. In both systems, the approach will be the same. Troops will be bombarded with propaganda, telling them how they’ve been brainwashed. How the First Order sees them only as cannon fodder. How we can help them to find out who they really are. At the same time, we’ll use the fleet as a distraction whilst we go onto the ground, using the contacts we’ve established on both planets to try and encourage more troops to defect.’  
‘All well and good, but how can we expect First Order troops to want to join the Resistance?’ one of the pilots wanted to know.  
Poe fielded the question. ’We don’t need them to join us. Whilst it would be useful, it’s not essential to the success of the plan. The most we need them to do is to put down their weapons. To stop fighting.’  
There was silence as everyone digested this information. It was different to how campaigns had been carried out in the past, and there was a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty. Finn could sense it, as could Ben, and they glanced at each other from across the room, both realising that despite their differences, they were united by their shared perceptions through the Force.  
‘What do you mean by propaganda?’ asked one of the technicians, a young woman with dark, curly hair, cropped brutally short.  
‘We’re trying to hack into a key First Order channel,’ clarified Rose, who was working remotely with Maz and the Master Codebreaker to achieve it. ‘We’ve not tested it yet, but at the right time we should be able to flood the whole fleet with pre-recorded messages. Ben’s also helped us to design some leaflets that we can air-drop during the campaign. We need to target as many stormtroopers as possible.’  
Jannah put up her hand to speak. ’Our friends on the ground in Coruscant and Naboo have also been working to persuade troops to join them,’ she explained, adding her experiences to those of Finn and Rose. ‘Conditioning for troops on-planet is much less consistent than on-ship, meaning that they are more likely to question why they have been recruited by the First Order.’  
‘But what about the fleet?’ asked Sharsa Zaro, a young pilot with haunted eyes. ‘How can we go up against the might of the First Order with so few ships? It’s suicidal.’  
‘It’s purely a distraction,’ said Poe, trying to reassure her; ‘once the troops start to defect, the plan is that entire ships will come under their control.’  
‘But what if the plan doesn’t work?’ asked another pilot, concerned that the plan was based on too many unknowns. ‘What if the troops don’t defect?’  
‘Then we regroup,’ said Poe, ‘and get the hell out of there. As with any campaign, we have to hope that it will work.’ He glanced at Lando, ‘If Luke Skywalker and Lando here had gone up against the Death Star, thinking that their plan wouldn’t work, we wouldn’t be here today. It’s as simple as that. We have to believe that it will work.’  
‘We do,’ agreed Lando, tapping his cane on the ground. ‘Leia would have said the same.’  
‘And we know that troops will defect once they understand that their whole life has been a lie,’ said Prue, who wanted to add her voice to that of the other speakers. ‘Several of my community on Naboo came to us because their conditioning broke down. They didn’t know who they were but they readily accepted that they had been duped by the First Order.’  
‘All we want to know is who we are and where we come from,’ added Jannah. ‘We can build on that need, and offer them something the First Order has always denied them.’  
This seemed to assuage some of the fears of the pilots, and the meeting descended into general chatter as the team discussed the ins and outs of the strategy.  
‘Right,’ said Poe, appealing for quiet. ‘I know it’s a lot to take in, and you’ll want to discuss it with your friends but let’s save it until afterwards. There’s only a few more things to say, chiefly that we’re no longer safe on Ajan Kloss. Intelligence collected by Threepio, and reinforced by Ben, suggests that the First Order are close to finding us. Plans for evacuation have already been put into motion and I want you to familiarise yourselves with your role in this. We must be ready to leave at short notice. We don’t know when they’ll come, but we know they will come. Isn’t that right, Ben?’  
‘Sooner rather than later,’ was Ben’s pessimistic response. Whilst he had been leader, there had been vague intimations that the Resistance were based on Ajan Kloss but he had failed to follow them up, pursuing his other interests instead. But Hux would not have any scruples in that regard.  
‘Everyone needs to be on high alert and be ready to move when you hear the alarm.’ Finishing the meeting, Poe thanked everyone for their patience. ’That’s it for now, do come and talk to me if there’s anything you don’t understand or need more information about.’  
The meeting over, the group slowly began to disperse, heading back to their jobs, or for some well earned relaxation time. Taking his leave from Poe, Ben went over to where Rey was standing next to Rose and Jannah. The reality of Poe’s speech had affected him greatly and he felt the need to be alone.  
Rey smiled when he came over, ‘You sounded good.’  
‘I could have been better prepared.’ Pushing his hand through his hair, Ben had the nagging feeling that he had forgotten something, but he couldn’t place what it was. ‘I’m going to do a few more checks on the ship.’  
Knowing that the ship was pretty much finished, Rey wondered why. ‘Why don’t you join us?’ she suggested, ‘You need a rest.’  
‘I’m fine.’ It would be good to have some relaxation time but he knew he wouldn’t relax around Rey, not after what had happened earlier on.  
‘Then let me come and help you…’  
‘No, no, it’s fine,’ insisted Ben, holding up his hands as if to create a barrier between them. ‘You go with your friends.’  
As he returned to the hangar, Rey watched him go, thinking his comment was a little dismissive. Had she upset him? Then she remembered what had happened earlier in the ship and she sighed deeply, finally understanding his need to be apart from her.  
‘What’s up?’ Jannah looked at her in concern. It was unusual for Rey’s emotions to be so visible on her face.  
‘I’m tired,’ she admitted, ‘it’s been a long day.’  
‘Let’s go and have a sit down,’ said Rose, knowing it would be their last chance to be together before they went their separate ways. ‘A rest won’t hurt.’

Meanwhile, Ben focused on getting the TIE ready for their journey to Exegol, trying to get the better of his growing anxiety through meaningful work. Yet, worse than that, he was struggling with his feelings for Rey. That she had almost kissed him earlier, had even wanted to kiss him, however fleeting it had been, was preying on his mind. Disentangling how he felt about Rey from their connection as a dyad was proving difficult and he could tell that Rey was struggling with the same thing. Besides one close friendship in the past, he had no idea what he was meant to do or say. And, as much as he loved Rey, he wasn’t sure that making their already intense relationship more complicated was the right way forward. Shunning personal relationships was the way of the Jedi, and it had been ingrained into him from a young age that avoiding romantic entanglements was the only way for someone of his - and Rey’s - abilities.  
Climbing back into the cockpit, he found some solace in practical activities, tidying up the last of the messy wiring between the holocron and the hyperdrive and making sure that all the systems were working. He was just finishing off when he heard a voice call out, ‘Ben? Are you in there?’  
It was Finn. Ben poked his head out of the hatch. ‘Rey’s not here…’  
‘I know,’ he said, starting to climb up the ladder, ‘I was looking for you.’  
‘Really?’ Ben was surprised. Although relations between them had undoubtedly thawed, Finn was one person that he still felt awkward around.  
‘Can I have a look?’ Finn peered inside, interested to see what Ben and Rey had been working on.  
‘Sure,’ offered Ben. He moved over to the smaller seat, which, as he suspected, was not comfortable at all and would need a few more adjustments.  
Climbing inside, Finn plonked himself down in the pilot’s seat. After Ben pointed out the holocron and how it was wired into the network, Finn was impressed. He did not have the first clue about modifying a ship. ‘And this is going to get you to Exegol?’  
‘I hope so,’ replied Ben, knowing that his wiring was not the best. ‘This TIE’s already heavily modified, it might not cope with something else jammed into it.’  
‘Just like the Falcon, huh,’ grinned Finn. ‘I don’t know how that thing is still flying.’  
‘Luck, mostly.’  
Finn smiled, then asked, ‘Do you mind if I talk to you about something?’  
Ben nodded, pleased that Finn was willing to open up to him. ‘Anything.’  
‘I want to know more about the dark side. Rey’s told me bits and pieces but you’re in a better position to really know what it does to you.’  
‘It’s my specialist subject,’ nodded Ben, without a trace of mirth.  
‘I mean, you came from a loving family, had parents who stood for something. How did it convince you to turn your back on them?’  
Sitting back, Ben opened up to Finn about his experiences, whilst the younger man listened patiently. He told Finn how he had heard voices in his head for as long as he could remember, voices that became his terrible secret. As he grew up, he found that he had strange abilities, abilities that caused damage and provoked fear in others. How the voices became his confidante, seeming to bring him clarity when all he felt was anger and confusion. He told Finn about the series of events that led to him being sent to train as a Jedi when it was the last thing he wanted. The continuing pressure of the darkness in his mind, that influenced and corrupted his relationship with Luke, and led to the terrible night when he had burned the temple down.  
‘The dark side consumed me,’ he said quietly, knowing that it would never excuse what he had done, but it might help to explain some of the choices he had made. ‘It made me think that the path I had taken was right, that it was good to give into my anger and hatred. That it made me more powerful. Stronger. It tricked me into thinking that it was my real self. When it wasn’t.’ He sighed deeply, ‘I know you won’t believe me but I never wanted to kill anyone. I didn’t. I tried to fight it. But once it happened with Ren, everything started to spiral downwards. It became easier. And Snoke convinced me that it was the only way forward, that growth could only come through destruction. That I had to get rid of everything that caused me pain.’ Tears filled his eyes and he wiped them away, his voice dropping to a whisper. ‘But it was a lie. I realised that when I killed Dad. The pain was still there. It never went away.’  
Finn listened quietly, wanting to understand the terrible journey that Ben had been on. He didn’t know if he could ever forgive him for what he had done - Finn still remembered the way in which Ben had forced him and Rey to fight him on Starkiller, the murderous look in his eyes, the way he had casually thrown Rey against the tree - but he could begin to understand, as Ben hoped, some of the choices that he had made. Choices that were made in a context of fear and confusion, heightened by Snoke’s manipulation and the influence of the dark side.  
‘It could happen to any of us,’ Finn realised, ‘couldn’t it? Falling to the dark side. If you with your family and your background could fall… then me… Rey. We could fall too.’  
Ben nodded, remembering how Rey had almost fallen to the dark side on Kef Bir. ‘Anyone can. It doesn’t matter who you are. If the dark side thinks that you need something, and can find a way in, it will tempt you with it.’  
‘How do you stop it?’  
‘I don’t know if you can,’ reflected Ben seriously. ‘All you can do is be vigilant. Not think that it won’t happen to you. Remembering it’s always going to tempt you in your weakest moments. When you have to make those difficult choices.’  
They sat together in silence for a while, both at very different stages in their journey but reflecting together on the implications of being given this very special gift by the Force. Finn was beginning to realise that it was not always special - or to be taken lightly. Great responsibility came alongside the ability to use the Force, and he was beginning to understand why Ben and Rey struggled with it.  
‘Can I ask you a question,’ said Ben, eventually.  
‘Yeah.’  
‘When we attacked the village on Jakku. How did you know it was wrong?’ Ben asked. ‘What made you break your programming?’  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Finn. He had often thought back to that night, working through the feelings he’d experienced, trying to piece together the events. ‘I saw my friend die and I just knew that I didn’t want to be a part of what was happening.’ He looked over at Ben, ‘You knew something had happened, didn’t you? I remember you looked at me.’  
Ben nodded. ‘There was a change. As if something had awakened.’  
Finn nodded, ‘You could tell?’  
‘I can see it now, it affects the Force around you. Can you see anything around me?’  
Finn nodded, ‘Bright bursts of light. But darkness too.’  
He looked away, ‘You shamed me that night. You did something that I couldn’t do, would not have done if it hadn’t been for…’ he trailed off, not sure what point he was making.  
‘I’m glad you're here, for Rey’s sake more than anything,’ said Finn softly, sensing that whilst his connection with Rey was not the only thing that had encouraged Ben’s change of heart, it had been a significant factor. ‘You’re someone who’s faced the dark side and come back.’  
‘And if I can help you understand it - what it does to you - hopefully you will be better prepared than I was.’  
‘So…’ Finn wanted to ask another question, one that had been on his mind ever since he had learnt about Ben and Rey’s connection. Encouraged by Ben’s openness, he asked, ‘When did you know that you were in love with Rey?’  
‘I don’t know exactly, it crept up on me.’ He looked at Finn curiously, ‘Is it that obvious?’  
‘Pretty much. It’s the way you are with her.’  
Ben smiled, embarrassed. ’I’m not sure how she feels about me. One minute I think she likes me, the next… I don’t know.’  
‘Sounds like me and Poe.’ The confession slipped out before Finn could stop it.  
‘You… you like Poe?’  
‘Yes.’  
Ben couldn’t fault his taste, ‘I can see why.’  
‘You can?’ Finn was surprised, but pleased by his response. Although Rose had guessed his feelings for Poe, he had not told anyone else.  
‘He’s attractive, charismatic, flirty.’ Ben grinned, ‘What’s not to like?’  
‘You’re not after him too, are you?’ asked Finn, only half-jokingly considering his conversation with Poe the previous day.  
‘No, no.’ Ben thought it an odd question considering he had just confessed to being in love with Rey, but he could sense that Finn was anxious. ‘He’s all yours. And he likes you too?’  
‘I think so…’  
‘Then what’s the problem?’  
Finn felt both strange and excited to be confiding in Ben. ‘We were getting really close but ever since he’s taken over from Leia, he doesn’t seem to have time for me. Well, we spend loads of time together but… not together, if you get what I mean.’  
‘I do,’ said Ben sadly. ‘Relationships suffer under pressure. Look at what happened to my parents.’ He sighed heavily, ‘I don’t know what the answer is. Have you told him how you feel?’  
‘Not exactly.’ Finn realised what the issue was and he brightened up considerably. ‘I need to tell him, don’t I?’  
‘It might be a good place to start.’  
‘There’s just never a good time…’ He realised that he was making excuses again. If he really cared for Poe, he would find the time to tell him. ‘This is the first time I’ve done this!’  
‘It doesn’t get any easier the second time,’ mused Ben, picking at a piece of loose tape on the side of the chair.  
‘You’ve been in love before?’ Finn was intrigued. Knowing that Ben had been trained as a Jedi, he’d assumed that he would have avoided such feelings in the past.  
‘Not exactly, but there was someone I cared about,’ Ben admitted wistfully, tentatively. ‘He was training with me, at the temple.’  
‘What was his name?’ Finn knew there was a reason why he had told Ben about his feelings for Poe. Perhaps it was instinct, perhaps it was some knowledge through the Force that he’d also had intense feelings for a close friend.  
‘Tai.’ Ben smiled, remembering. ‘He was the only person who ever got me. The real me. Not the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, the heir of the Skywalkers. He wanted to know who I was underneath it all.’  
‘Did you…you know…’ His words hung in the air, he didn’t even know why he’d asked.  
‘No,’ said Ben, unruffled by his question. ‘I kissed him once but that was it.’  
‘What happened to him?’  
Ben closed his eyes, reliving the painful memory. ‘Ren killed him. To provoke me. I was ready to leave with Tai to… to abandon the path I’d taken. But that moment changed everything.’  
‘And that’s what tipped you over the edge?’ asked Finn softly, finally understanding. There were many reasons why Ben had fallen to the dark side; feelings of betrayal, fear, and anger, magnified and intensified by the voices in his head. But the one that Finn recognised as crucial was something altogether more human; Ben thought that he’d lost everyone who loved him. His family, his friends. In that anguish and despair, he had given into the urge to destroy. To destroy himself but, ultimately because of his powers, he would drag the rest of the galaxy down along with him. It was so different to his own experience. In that one moment on Jakku, Finn had lost everything too - his sense of belonging, his sense of self, what he believed in. But instead of choosing a path of self-destruction, he had taken the chance to build a new life for himself. The path of light, of life.  
‘After that, I didn’t care what happened to me. I let the darkness define me. Until… until I met Rey,’ he said softly. ‘She helped me remember who I really was.’  
‘Who you should have been all along,’ Finn nodded. Speaking to Ben had given him a much more realistic understanding of the threat of the dark side - invaluable experience for someone who was starting out on their journey in the Force - but which also put the man in front of him in a much better light. Even if Finn would never understand some of the choices that Ben had made, he could understand the wider context in which he had made them. Sharing their stories had helped to break down the barriers between them, starting them on a much better path, and after Ben, with Finn’s help, had secured Rey’s seat more securely into the TIE, they went to find their friends.

Whilst Finn was talking with Ben, Rose, Jannah and Rey were relaxing in one of the rooms in the quieter part of the base, making the most of the time they had left together. Facing an early start with Lando and Chewbacca, Prue had already gone to bed, and the three young women were discussing what they wanted to do once the war was over.  
‘Lando’s promised to take me to see Bespin,’ said Jannah, still struggling with getting used to calling him ‘dad.’ But she knew it would come with time. ‘It sounds amazing.’  
‘A city in the clouds,’ said Rose, who also agreed that it would be amazing. ‘Although my inner geek would be too interested in finding out how it works to enjoy the scenery.’  
‘Then your inner geek can go and max out on all the boring technology,’ said Jannah, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a huge yawn. ‘Me and Rey can go and have cocktails on the balcony, can’t we Rey?’  
‘Er, yes.’ Rey was distracted, as always, sensing the bright presence of Finn and Ben in the Force. Together. Coming to find her. ‘What’s a cocktail?’  
Jannah was about to describe it to her, when Finn and Ben appeared from around the corner, laughing about something or other. As soon as she saw them, Rey knew that they had reconciled their differences and she felt a huge sense of relief.  
‘Ben!’ Jannah grabbed his attention as soon as she saw him, ‘Chewie’s back. He was looking for you.’  
‘Oh.’ Ben felt both anxious and pleased. ‘Where is he?’  
‘Last we saw him, he said he was going to find Dad… sorry, Lando and Poe.’  
‘Okay.’ He had to smile at Jannah’s hesitation over describing Lando as her father; thanks to Lando’s overwhelming enthusiasm, everyone on the base knew that they were related by now. Before he left, he regarded the people that he hoped, one day, would be pleased to count him as a friend. A word he thought he would never use again. After so many years of telling himself that he didn’t need anyone, he felt giddy with the opportunities presented to him by his return to the light.  
‘No rest for the wicked, eh?’ Finn could tell that Ben was disappointed he would not have time to stay and chat.  
‘We’ll have to catch up later.’  
‘I’m sure we’ll still be here when you’ve finished with Chewie,’ said Rose kindly. She could tell that he wanted to stay, to be part of their group, and she found herself wanting him to be a part of it too.  
As Ben disappeared to look for Chewie, Rey looked at Finn curiously. ‘You and Ben… you’re okay now?’  
‘Yes,’ nodded Finn, leaning back into the couch. He could feel three sets of eyes boring into him. ‘I like him,’ he shrugged, ‘He’s not what I expected him to be.’  
‘I know, right?’ said Jannah, who was also surprised at the relatively easy way in which Ben had integrated himself into the Resistance. Considering his history, she had thought he would be aloof and guarded. But he was remarkably open and honest, throwing himself into daily life on the base with enthusiasm, always willing to stop and chat about a range of subjects. She caught a gleam in Finn’s eye, ‘What have you two been up to?’  
‘Nothing, just sharing stories.’  
‘What stories?’ Curious, Rey wondered what Ben and Finn might have shared other than their general dislike of General Hux.  
Smiling evasively, Finn folded his arms. ‘What was said in the cockpit, stays in the cockpit.’  
‘Really?’ asked Jannah, looking at Rose with disappointment. They both assumed that Finn and Ben had been sharing their thoughts about Rey.  
‘No it’s not that,’ insisted Finn, knowing exactly what they meant.  
Seeing that Finn was not going to say anything more, Rey said, ‘I’m just glad you’re getting on now.’ She knew that she could always try getting it out of Ben later.  
‘He’s a good guy.’ Finn decided to be honest about his newfound acceptance of Ben, ‘Now he’s who he’s supposed to be.’  
‘What do you mean?’ asked Jannah.  
‘Snoke, the dark side; it convinced him he was something he wasn’t,’ explained Finn, warming to his theme. ‘They took a good kid and twisted him into a killing machine, motivated by anger and hate for his own family. That’s not who Ben was supposed to be.’  
‘Is anyone meant to be like that?’ Rose asked. When Jannah looked at her in askance, she continued, ‘No one is born evil, they are made evil.’  
‘I think you’re onto something there, Rose.’ He looked at Jannah. ‘It’s the same as what the First Order did to us. Who we are, what we were meant to be; we didn’t know. They tried to make us into killing machines too.’  
‘But somehow we knew it was wrong,’ agreed Jannah, ‘it’s not who we are.’  
‘Right,’ said Finn. ‘And deep down, I think Ben knew the same. But Snoke twisted his mind so much that he thought he belonged in the dark. That he was trapped by it.’  
‘I don’t think he will ever be free of it,’ mused Rey. It was interesting to see how much Finn had changed his mind about Ben. It was not that long ago he was convinced that Ben had chosen of his own free will to become immersed in the dark. Now he could see how much murkier the process had been.  
‘No. And he shouldn't,’ Finn said vehemently, ‘because then he won’t ever be convinced by its lies again.’  
There was a lull in the conversation, and Jannah thought that they should change the conversation to something more lighthearted. ‘So Finn,’ she said, whilst Rose went to get more drinks. ‘What do you think you’ll do after the war’s over?’  
‘That’s one hell of a question,’ he frowned, ‘I’ve not even thought about it.’  
‘Not at all?’ Jannah grinned, ‘Me and Rey are going to Cloud City for cocktails.’  
‘Sounds good,’ agreed Finn, ‘what about Rose?’  
‘Oh, she’s coming too,’ said Rey, ‘but she’s going to spend her time looking at the technology instead.’  
‘Why?’ Finn did not understand the joke, ‘I think I’d rather have cocktails.’  
‘I wasn’t against cocktails,’ insisted Rose, coming back over with a tray of teas and cafs, packets of biscuits. ‘I just wanted to know how it works. Why can’t I do both?’  
‘Of course you can,’ agreed Jannah. ‘Anyway, I’m sure Lando would be happy to host us, whatever we fancy doing.’  
‘If we’re talking about places we’d like to visit,’ said Finn thoughtfully, taking one of the cups of tea and a packet of biscuits, ‘you’re all gonna have to come with me to Kuat.’  
‘Of course,’ said Jannah, whilst Rose and Rey nodded their support too. ‘We’ll be there for you, whatever you want to do.’  
‘And Prue wants to go to Riosa,’ added Rose, not forgetting their other new friend.  
‘Do you think our families will want to know about us?’ It was the question that had been preying on Finn’s mind ever since he and Rose had first thought about using the First Order’s archive as part of their plan.  
‘I should think so,’ said Rose, ‘I don’t know how anyone can ever get over the loss of a child.’  
‘Look at Lando,’ said Jannah quietly, sipping her tea. ‘He never stopped looking for me, even when the galaxy seemed to have given up on him.’  
‘And Leia never stopped hoping that Ben would come back,’ added Rey softly, ‘even when it looked less and less likely that he would.’  
Finn nodded, knowing that whatever happened he would have his friends’ support. ‘I’m so lucky to have found you all,’ he said, feeling emotional as he looked at his three friends. There was Rey, the first friend he had ever made outside of the First Order, their lives thrown together by accident, or so it had seemed at the time but now he was beginning to wonder if it had been by design of the Force. There was Rose, who he had shared so many adventures with; she had helped him to see that life was much less black and white than the First Order had led him to believe, as well as the importance of believing in a cause. And last, but not least, Jannah, whose experiences were the mirror of his, and who he was sharing the exciting, if terrifying, journey of self-discovery with. Each friend bringing a different dynamic, and personality, to their newfound family.  
‘Whatever happens, we’ll always have each other,’ agreed Rose, as they joined hands, knowing it would be the last time, for a while, that they would all be together.  
‘May the Force be with us,’ whispered Rey, fighting back her tears.

It was getting late, and soon the friends decided to head to their sleeping quarters. Finn walked with Rey, wanting to tell her something that he knew she would find difficult to hear in front of the others. ‘Do you want to know what else changed my mind about Ben?’  
She nodded, surprised that Finn had kept something back to tell her privately. Her stomach tingled with nerves, wondering what it might be.  
’Ever since he’s come here, I’ve been watching him, really closely. Just to see how he is around other people.’  
‘And?’  
‘His actions don’t lie. He’s open, friendly. And willing to help.’ Finn said brightly, ‘I know he wouldn’t be here unless he was going to help but he’s gone out of his way to be useful.’  
‘He has, hasn’t he?’ Rey was glad that her gamble had paid off.  
‘But it’s more than that. It’s obvious that he cares for you, too.’  
Rey felt her face grow warm. ‘It is?’  
‘Yes, it is. He loves you. Really loves you. I can sense it on the Force, but it’s there in his eyes too.’  
Rey didn’t know what to say. She had never doubted Ben’s feelings for her, but to hear them from someone else, someone who had, until recently, hated him, helped to reinforce them in her mind.  
Finn stopped as he came to the door to Rey’s sleeping quarters. ’I didn’t think that Ben could be capable of love. I didn’t see how anyone on the dark side could be. But I can see I was wrong. And that’s when I knew he’d changed and I could trust him.’  
‘You trust him?’ Rey’s head was swimming with emotions, her own and Finn’s, made manifest to her through the Force. It made her feel tense and giddy, as if something was about to happen.  
‘Yes, I do.’ Reaching out, Finn touched her cheek. ‘I know you’ll be safe with him.’  
Finally, Rey understood what Finn’s concerns had been. Ever since he had first met her, he had felt a strong need to protect her. To be there for her, far more than anyone else had ever felt for her before. The danger that she had put herself in by even speaking to Ben, from Finn’s perspective, had been immense. ‘I can look after myself, you know.’  
‘I know,’ Finn smiled, ‘but I can’t help it. You mean everything to me.’  
Knowing that it would be the last time they would see each other for a while, Rey felt the tears returning to her eyes. They had come a long way together, a friendship that had come about by accident but had turned out to be enduring. Yet both of them were going into the unknown; tomorrow she would be travelling to Exegol with Ben, and Finn would be preparing for the enormity of his task, of kick-starting a revolution in the First Order. The reality made her afraid, for him especially, and she threw her arms around him, pulling him close. ‘I hope I’ve taught you enough about the Force.’  
‘Don’t worry,’ he reassured her, patting her hair, ‘between you and Ben, I think I’ve got a good idea about the light and the dark.’  
‘Good.’ Tears spilled out of her eyes as they held each other tightly. Their connection was less intense than that between her and Ben, but it was no less important to her. ‘I love you.’  
‘I love you too.’ It was a rare display of emotion from Rey, and he knew he would cherish it. Closing his eyes, he took in her scent, the softness of her hair against his cheek.  
Hearing footsteps, both Rey and Finn looked up to see Ben coming along the corridor. When he saw that they were having a moment, he hung back but Finn waved him over.  
‘It’s alright, she’s all yours now.’  
‘What does that mean?’ Rey frowned as she let go of her friend, seeing that the banter was already starting now that Finn and Ben had made peace with each other.  
As he reached them, Ben grinned, knowing that Finn was teasing him for what he had said about Poe earlier. ‘Nothing.’  
‘Night, Ben, night, Rey,’ said Finn, planting a soft kiss on her cheek before sauntering off.  
‘Hey, what about me?’ joked Ben, frowning after him. ‘Don’t I get one too?’  
Turning, Finn dramatically blew him a kiss before disappearing around the corner.  
‘How were things with Chewie?’ asked Rey as they went into her room; she noticed that Ben had both his arms, and his legs, so she assumed that it hadn’t gone too badly.  
‘It was tense,’ he admitted, as the door swished shut behind him. ‘But I think we’re okay.’ He explained to her that although Chewbacca would never forgive him for what he had done to Han, and rightly so, he was not one to bear grudges and they had reconciled over shared memories of the past. ‘He knows the power of the dark side,’ he said, taking off his boots, ‘and he’s seen enough in his life to know the hold it can have over someone. I think, more than anything, he was shocked that it could happen to his family. He’d hoped that after the defeat of the Empire, Han and Leia would somehow be immune to it.’ After a long conversation, they had come to a shared understanding, and Chewbacca had even mussed his hair in the same way that he had done when he was small, which had made him cry.  
The thought of them together brought more tears to Rey’s eyes. ‘Good, old Chewie,’ she said softly, wiping them away before starting to get undressed. ‘And you’re getting on with Finn now, too.’  
‘But…?’ He could sense some hesitation on her part.  
‘How come you two are already sharing secrets?’  
Pulling off his sweater, Ben laughed at her. ‘Is that what you’re cross about?’  
‘I’m not cross.’ Trying to hide her irritation, Rey kept herself busy by putting her clothes into a neat pile, in contrast to Ben who had lazily left his relatively few belongings in a haphazard, messy pile on the floor.  
Amused by her response, Ben perched on the bed. ‘What’s the matter then?’ When she didn’t reply, he went on, ‘You think we’ve shared things that he hasn’t shared with you?’  
‘Yes.’ The idea annoyed her, and she wasn’t sure why.  
‘I don’t know about Finn, but I don’t have secrets,’ he said, wanting to make the distinction clear, ’Just things I don’t tell anyone.’ It had always been the way he rationalised keeping the voices in his head separate from the rest of his reality.  
‘So - if someone were to ask you about these things, you’d tell them?’  
‘Yes,’ he admitted readily. ‘But they’d have to ask the right question.’ He knew how much she hated his tendency to ignore questions he didn’t like.  
‘So what questions is Finn asking?’ She was getting used to Ben’s way of only telling her something if he felt he needed to. It was very like his father, who had also been economical with words unless he wanted to lecture her about something.  
Ben lay down on the bed, his energy spent. ‘He wanted to know how I knew I was in love with you.’  
Rey stopped what she was doing. ‘Really? Finn asked you that?’ She couldn’t help wondering why. Was Finn concerned by Ben’s attentions? Was he jealous? She hadn’t picked up on anything.  
‘It’s not because he’s jealous.’  
Pulling on her pyjamas, Rey looked at him searchingly, ‘You know something about Finn, don’t you, that he hasn’t told me.’  
Ben held up his hands, ‘I didn’t say anything….’  
‘You don’t have to,’ she grinned. Ever since he had returned to the light, the most remarkable difference in Ben’s character was his complete inability to hide his emotions or what he thought about something. The dark side had been his shield to hide his vulnerability and insecurity. But, Rey reflected, that was what made him who he was. He was open and sensitive, and it drew people to him.  
‘Don’t you want to know?’ he teased her.  
‘Not really.’ Rey went over to the small mirror and started to take out her hair. She was wearing it in three buns, the style that was ingrained in the memory of her fingers. I’ll get it out of you, later.  
For a moment he watched her fiddling with her hair, unable to undo one of the fastenings. He remembered watching his mother do the same at night, taking out the long plaits she usually wore. ‘Can I help?’  
‘Please.’  
Getting up, he came over and she stood quietly, watching him in the mirror as his fingers replaced hers, working the knot out until it was free. Gently, he loosened her hair, raking it through with his fingers until it was untangled. She found it soothing.  
‘All done,’ he said softly, handing her the piece of string she used to fasten the bun in place.  
‘Keep going.’ She relaxed as Ben’s fingers worked at the remaining knots, smoothing out her hair into soft waves. Enjoying the sensation. When he had finished, she turned to face him. They were stood very close and, after what Finn had told her, she felt the urge to explore her feelings for Ben. To reach out and touch him, to be touched in return. Hesitantly, she stretched out her hand, keeping her eyes on his. He was receptive - Ben was stood very still and she could feel his anticipation - and gently, she touched his face. Tracing the line of his scar with her fingers. It felt strange now to think that she had hated him enough to mark his face, and his body, so savagely.  
‘It helps me to remember,’ he whispered, hardly daring to move in case she stopped, ‘the pain I’ve caused you.’  
Strong feelings of remorse and mortification welled up from deep inside of him and washed over her. Putting her arms around his neck, she embraced him tightly and he buried his face against her shoulder, hot tears stinging his eyes. They held each other for a long time, until the tumult of emotions started to die down, only to be replaced by something else, equally strong.  
Desire.  
She felt his need for her keenly, and it mingled with her own. Yet she was anxious too, still uncertain as to what her feelings for him were. But was it really so wrong to want to find out? Slowly, she pulled back so that she was facing him. He looked into her eyes searchingly, as if he knew what she wanted to do and was waiting for her. Keeping her eyes on his, she leaned forward, aiming for his mouth, when loud alarms started to sound across the base. An ear splitting noise that bored into her brain and made her tremble violently with fear.  
‘This is not a drill,’ warned a mechanical voice loudly, ‘Repeat. This is not a drill. Make your way to your transport immediately.’  
‘They’ve found us,’ she realised, as they reluctantly let each other go.  
He started to pull on his clothes. ‘I didn’t think it would be this soon.’  
They would have to get ready fast. Fortunately the TIE was ready to go, stocked up with fuel and supplies. Rey got dressed quickly whilst Ben collected the things they would need and packed them together in her bag.  
‘Don’t forget the knife,’ said Rey, pulling on her boots.  
‘Are you sure we need it?’ Ben regarded it sceptically.  
‘I don’t know - take it anyway.’ Rey watched him as he placed it into the bag, her fingers stumbling over the fastenings on her belt as she hastened to put it on. ‘And the books!’  
‘We’re evacuating,’ he said, annoyed at the time she was taking, ‘not going on vacation. Come on!’  
Bag packed, they headed out into the corridor, hand in hand, keeping close together. Red and orange warning lights flashed brightly and alarms rang in a loud cacophony, creating an atmosphere of chaos and confusion rather than an orderly evacuation. Weaving through the people running to and fro, Rey and Ben headed towards the command centre, hoping to catch Poe before he became too swamped with everything that was going on. They found him briefing two of the technicians, allocating final boxes of resources to the various transports that were being readied in the hangars. Upon seeing them, he finished his brief and met them in the middle of the room.  
‘Ready for Exegol?’  
‘A bit sooner than planned,’ said Rey ruefully, annoyed at the First Order’s timing.  
‘You were right, Ben,‘ said Poe grimly, ‘Hux must have been planning this offensive for a while. Perhaps even before he forced you out. There’s reports coming in of more ships being sent to Naboo, to Kijimi and Coruscant. And he’s found us.’  
‘What’s coming?’  
‘Two Star Destroyers. And a Dreadnaught.’  
‘Likely to be a ground assault was well as aerial,’ Ben said, thinking quickly, ‘are you sure we can’t stay and help…’  
‘No, no,’ Poe shook his head, ‘you get off. Everything’s ready to go, just a bit sooner than we expected.’ He attempted a smile, ‘Got your beacon, Rey?’  
She showed him her wrist where the beacon sat, gently bleeping.  
‘If I may interrupt, Mistress Rey?’ came a voice from behind Poe. It was Threepio, who had been hovering nearby, waiting for an opportunity to speak. ‘I was tasked by Rose to give you this small transmitter device.’  
‘Oh yes, thank you, Threepio.’ Rey took it from him and stowed it away in her bag, remembering that Rose had mentioned it the night before.  
‘Is that everything, Threepio?’ asked Poe, seeing that the droid was still hovering.  
‘Why yes, General Poe,’ said the droid brightly, ‘except to wish Mistress Rey and Master Ben good luck on their voyage to Exegol.’  
‘Thanks Threepio,’ nodded Ben, itching to get going. Their quick chat with Poe had turned out to be much longer than he’d expected.  
Knowing there was little time for proper goodbyes, Poe first embraced Rey and then Ben, much to his surprise. ’Take care of each other.’  
‘May the Force be with you,’ said Ben, with genuine emotion. He hoped that he had given Poe enough intel to given them a head start against the First Order, despite the huge disparity in terms of resources.  
‘Give my love to the others,’ said Rey, checking that she had her bag, ‘Tell them, I’m sorry I missed them.’ Then they were both gone, swallowed up into the melee of the corridor.  
‘See you on the other side!’ Watching them leave, Poe reflected that Ben’s turn back to the light and subsequent help had been the most unexpected turn in an often confusing set of events that characterised the war between the Resistance and the First Order. Less unexpected, perhaps, was the growing closeness he’d witnessed between the two Jedi. Any reservations he’d had about Ben had vanished in the light of the younger man’s eagerness to make up for his corruption by the dark side, a willingness that was partly, but not entirely, linked to his feelings for Rey. Yet Poe could still not completely reconcile the two sides of Ben; although he had been manipulated by Snoke, Poe could not help thinking that by fixating so much on his hated Skywalker legacy, Ben had ironically made an even worse one for himself.  
Connix hurried over to Poe with burning questions that needed answering, and he had no time to dwell on any deeper reflection. With Rey and Ben heading to Exegol, he knew that part of the plan was already in motion, but Poe couldn’t help being concerned that his plans, at the moment, were riding on far too many unknowns.


	28. The Flight from Ajan Kloss - part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cooped up in the modified TIE, Rey and Ben face danger as they attempt to escape from Ajan Kloss. With the might of the First Order against them, it takes all of Ben's piloting skills, and Rey's observation skills, to keep them out of danger. But once they are past the first obstacle, will their growing feelings for each other create a set of new complications?

‘Ready, sweetheart?’  
Ben was flipping switches on the console, starting the TIE’s flight sequence. The hum of the engine was already filling the cockpit.  
‘All set,’ Rey stowed her bag away and made herself as comfortable as she could on her makeshift seat. Hundreds of butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach, and yet her anxiety levels were still rising. ‘Wait… did you just call me sweetheart?’  
‘Let’s go.’ Skilfully, Ben manoeuvred the TIE out of the hangar, managing to avoid the ships that were still being loaded with items and with people, and up and out over the jungle. It was dark outside, the powerful beams from the ship lighting up the tops of the trees as they zoomed high above them. It was not long until they entered the planet’s atmosphere, leaving the Resistance base far behind.  
‘Look!’ Already Rey could see the First Order ships looming above them. ‘They don’t have much time.’  
‘Let’s distract them.’ Ben knew that there would be a delay until they launched the transports.  
‘What, in this thing?’  
Ben stared at her, ‘It’s got guns.’  
‘Right.’ Rey hung on tight as the ship rocketed upwards, ‘What can I do?’  
‘Keep an eye on the scanners,’ he suggested, setting a convoluted course to try and prevent the Star Destroyers from spotting them, ‘and what’s going on outside…’  
‘Fighters approaching,’ she said immediately, seeing the first indications on the radar.  
‘Dammit, they have spotted us,’ frowned Ben, changing his mind and plotting a new course. ‘Let’s see what they make of this.’  
The TIE lurched to the left, beginning a steep, spinning dive that took them straight past the first two fighters that were screaming towards them. As they sped past, cheated of their target, Rey felt her stomach flip flopping as Ben then pulled up sharply, changing course so that they were now headed straight towards one of the Star Destroyers.  
‘Are you serious?’ she screeched, annoyed that she could have no input into the situation. Already she could think of several manoeuvres that would have avoided such a drastic step.   
‘Hey, who’s flying this thing?’ Ben couldn’t help smiling, truly in his element. As the ship was buffeted by laser from another fighter, he pushed hard on the controls, sending the ship into another spiralling dive, heading straight for the surface of one of the larger capital ships. Rey resisted the urge to close her eyes as the surface of the ship came closer and closer - so close she could see the gun turrets clearly - until, right at the last minute, he pulled up sharply and banked heavily right. Without the same quick reactions, the two fighters following them crashed straight into the Star Destroyer, immediately disabling its main forward guns and frying its outer hull.  
Rey smiled with relief as they swept past the large windows of the Destroyer’s command centre. Inside she could see the officers and technicians working hard to contain the damage. Perhaps there was method to Ben’s madness. But then she noticed more fighters on their tail. ‘Watch out, three behind us.’  
‘Right,’ the ship started another steep descent, making Rey’s stomach feel like it was trying to escape through her ears. When she was piloting she barely noticed these changes in her physical state, possibly because she was concentrating on what was going on outside. But without that focus she could feel every shift, every change of pace and direction - and she was not enjoying it.  
‘How long can we last out here?’ she asked as two more of the fighters disappeared in a blaze of light and smoke, Ben’s sudden, and reckless, change of direction causing them to crash into each other. But there were plenty more where those came from. Space outside was now thick with fighters, all charging after their single quarry.   
Suddenly a red light started to flash, ‘The back shield’s been hit,’ Rey yelled, tensing up as the ship was pelted with lasers.  
‘That’s not good.’ Ben decided that they had done all they could. At least they had kept the ships occupied for a bit whilst the Resistance continued their evacuation. Most of the fighters were now heading towards another ship that was leaving Ajan Kloss, with a few dogged pilots still on their tail. Gritting his teeth, he pushed the ship to its limit, banking sharply right and heading as close to the capital ships as he dared, trying to throw the fighters off. The TIE skimmed along the surface of the Destroyer, drawing its fire and then pulling away at the last moment.  
‘Yes!’ shouted Rey, relieved and excited, ‘that’s two more gone.’  
‘How many left?’ Ben was barely concentrating on the scopes, relying on his instinct to get them through.  
‘Just the one,’ replied Rey, holding onto her seat tightly as the ship dived sharply downwards. She was glad that she hadn’t had time to eat anything otherwise she knew it would be all over the cockpit by now.  
Green bolts of light flashed past the window as Ben flew too close to one of the Destroyer’s guns and Rey whelped, covering her face with her hands. It was a risky move but it worked - when Rey was brave enough to look at the scopes she saw that the remaining fighter was gone. ‘All clear.’  
‘Right, let’s get this bucket to Exegol.’ Streaking away from the Destroyers, Ben headed out into open space. The attention was all on Ajan Kloss now and they managed to slip away unnoticed. Rey finished entering the hyperdrive co-ordinates, ‘It’s all set.’  
Soon, the familiar streaks of hyperspace were flashing past the window. Heaving a deep sigh, Ben leaned back in his chair, exhausted now that the adrenalin had stopped flooding his system. ‘That was close,’ he murmured, closing his eyes.  
‘Yes it was,’ said Rey grumpily, seeing that Ben had clearly learned in the Han Solo School of Seat of your Pants Flying. ‘Next time, I’m taking my own ship.’  
‘You didn’t enjoy that?’ Ben smiled to himself, he felt exhilarated, reminded of why he had wanted to emulate his father ever since he had first sat in the Falcon. Flying a ship was the closest thing to freedom he knew. He could make his own choices, decide where he wanted to go, what he wanted to do. It was up to him, and him alone.  
‘Not really.’ There was little opportunity to really co-pilot on the TIE and it had been stifling for her. Not for the first time, she wished they could have taken the Falcon.  
‘You might want to get some sleep,’ suggested Ben, his eyes still closed. Once they reached the Unknown Regions, they really would be dumped in the wilder parts of space.   
Rey tried to get comfortable on her seat but she failed. There was little leg room and she was forced to sit upright, unable to make her head comfortable without hurting her neck. After a couple of attempts she gave up. She looked over at Ben. Would it really be such a bad thing to cuddle up with him?  
‘There’s plenty of room,’ he grinned, gesturing to his lap.  
‘I’m okay.’ It was tempting but after two occasions where she had almost kissed him, she felt she needed some distance. Her feelings were getting stronger, that much was clear. But whilst Ben seemed to have no qualms about making his feelings obvious, he did not, or would not, act on them. For her part, Rey struggled to make sense of her feelings but was close to acting on impulse. It made for a dangerous combination in her mind, and she needed to retreat, to think, before she did something that she regretted and ruined their growing friendship.  
‘What are you afraid of?’ Ben asked softly, sensing her mental struggle.  
‘Losing you,’ she admitted quietly, unable to look at him. She had carried so much heartache around with her since the loss of her parents, she didn’t want to ever experience those feelings again. Getting close to Ben - to anyone - made the threat of those feelings real.  
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ he promised. ‘Not by choice.’  
‘That’s easy to say…’  
‘I know.’ He looked at her solemnly, ‘but I mean it.’  
There wasn’t any more he could say. Ben closed his eyes again and tried to get to some sleep. Rey sat in her uncomfortable chair, cross with herself. She did want to sit with him but still something made her hold back.  
It’s those books you’ve been reading, said a quiet voice in her head.  
She looked across to Ben but his eyes were closed. The slight smile, however, gave it away.   
‘They avoided attachments for a reason.’  
‘Selfish attachments, yes,’ agreed Ben. ‘But I don’t mind if you want to give me a cuddle.’  
‘So it’s selfless?’ She had to smile at his logic.  
‘Completely.’  
There was nothing selfless about the way he was looking at her. ’You would say that.’  
Ben shrugged, smiling apologetically. ‘Is it that obvious?’  
‘You’re rubbish at hiding your feelings,’ she grinned. Finally making up her mind, she carefully climbed over to sit on his lap, immediately glad that she had. He was warm and gentle and he held her close, true to his word.   
‘I know.’ He sighed, shifting slightly so that she was more comfortably sat on his lap. He had to admit it was difficult keeping a close rein on his desire for her, there were so many sensations coursing through him that it made him feel giddy. But suppressing his emotions was like second nature to him by now and he knew he could handle it.  
Content, Rey laid her head against his chest, feeling the softness of his sweater against her cheek, seeing the neatly mended hole where the Lanais had patched it up. It smelt of sweat and something else, something indefinable that related to him alone.  
‘How’s that?’  
’Good.’ But she could feel the churning of his emotions inside and it was starting to affect her too.  
‘See,’ he said, ‘no need to overthink things…’  
‘But I don’t know how to make sense of my feelings.’ Rey felt all at sea, his emotions were feeding into hers, making her feel things that were both new and raw.  
‘Why do you need to understand them?’ he asked her curiously. ‘Why not just feel them?’  
‘Because that’s not what a Jedi does,’ Rey found herself saying, thus proving Ben’s earlier point. She sighed, ‘My head has been stuck in books for too long.’  
‘Good thing I left them behind then,’ said Ben casually, gently mussing her hair. They had been forced to leave so quickly that it was still hanging down around her face.  
‘You did what?’ she frowned, sitting up, ‘I thought I said…’ No wonder the bag had been so light.  
‘I know what you said,’ cut in Ben, ‘but you don’t need them. You’ve gone beyond them now.’  
Grudgingly she supposed he was right, ‘You could have just said something at the time.’  
‘I think I did. Were you going to read them on the journey?’  
‘No…’  
‘Then why bring them?’  
‘I like books.’  
‘So do I,’ agreed Ben, thinking of all the books he had been forced to leave on the Steadfast. Hux had probably burnt them all, like the uncultured savage he was.  
They sat together in silence for a while before Rey spoke again. ‘Ben?’  
‘Hmm?’ He was just dropping off to sleep.  
‘Have you… have you been in love before?’  
Ben’s eyes flew open. ‘I thought Finn told you…’  
‘What does Finn know?’ When he clammed up, she realised he had made a mistake. ‘I knew you were keeping something from me.’  
‘It was nothing really,’ he began, absent-mindedly playing with her hair. ‘It was just a feeling of… of caring for someone more than I should.’  
‘More than you should?’  
’He was one of Luke’s students.’  
‘You mean Tai, don't you?’  
With relief, he realised that when she had seen into his head, she must have picked up on his feelings for Tai. So he didn’t have to explain them. ‘Yes.’  
She was silent for a minute, thinking about what she had glimpsed when he had told her about his fall to the dark side. That it had been precipitated by Tai’s death. ‘It wasn’t nothing,’ she frowned, wondering if Ben’s tendency to diminish any positive experiences from his past was a legacy of Snoke’s manipulations. ‘Do you think he felt the same way?’  
‘Maybe.’ He sighed. ‘I don’t know… I didn’t want to know. I was too afraid.’  
‘Afraid?’  
‘That he wouldn’t care for the real me.’ He half smiled, remembering, ‘Which was stupid really because he was the only person who wanted to know the real me. Everyone else just saw what they wanted to see.’  
‘What would have happened if you’d have told him?’ wondered Rey, caught up in his story.  
‘I doubt anything would have happened but… who knows.’ He changed the subject, not wanting to think about what might have been. ‘What about you and Finn…?’  
‘No,’ interjected Rey quickly. ‘We love each other and we would do anything for each other. But…’  
‘But?’  
‘With Finn, it’s simple. We’re friends. With you… with you I feel like I might lose myself if I let myself love you.’ Already their connection as a dyad was blurring the boundaries of where she ended and Ben began. ’Does that make sense?’  
‘You mean it would change you…’  
‘Yes,’ she sat up again so that she was looking at him, gazing into his dark eyes that were once more haunted by his past failures. ‘It would. Completely and utterly. And I don’t know if I’m ready for that.’ Meeting Ben had already changed her in so many ways, opening up her latent Force ability, connecting her to the legacy of the wars between the Jedi and the Sith, and exposing her to emotions that ranged from the joy of finally being understood to the most abject hate and loathing. The vision of them together on the mysterious throne had showed her what desire felt like, but it had only muddied her thinking in the long run. If it was linked to the darkness inside her, surely it was wrong?  
‘You’re overthinking,’ he said mildly, ‘what if the thing we both need the most is to be friends?’  
‘Friends?’  
She sounded uncertain, and he tried to explain. ‘Like you said. Friends are there for each other. They share what they have. But even more than that, they accept each other for who they are. I can’t ask for more than that.’  
‘Oh.’ Considering his feelings for her, she was surprised that he was holding back so much. ’And that’s what you want?’  
He smiled sadly, ‘If we both knew what we wanted then there would be no need for words.’ For he was convinced, deep down, that she could never love him as much as he loved her and that was the realisation she was gradually coming to. Clearly she cared for him but she was right to be wary of anything more. ‘But why change things?’ he continued softly, keeping his eyes on hers, ‘what we have now… it’s more than I ever could have hoped for.’  
‘Me too.’ Rey felt reassured knowing that Ben was struggling with the implications of their changing relationship just as much as she was. Like her, he was afraid of committing his heart, although for different reasons; the fear that she could not love who he really was, rather than the fear of loss that she carried around with her. She thought of all the times they had fought each other, the hate that had obscured any other feelings that might have been there. Now there was friendship and a sense of togetherness, perhaps the hint of something more. But, even more importantly, she knew that she didn't have to struggle alone any more. They would resolve things together, they were a team.  
‘Try and get some sleep,’ he suggested again, affected by her churning thoughts. ‘It won’t be long until we hit the Unknown Regions.’  
‘Okay.’ Lying against him, listening to the steady thrum of the engine, Rey eventually fell asleep.


	29. The flight from Ajan Kloss - part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and the remaining members of the Resistance escape from Ajan Kloss, giving Admiral Griss a headache.

‘That's the final ship gone.’  
An exhausted-looking Connix glanced up at Poe. He was standing behind her, leaning over her shoulder, his eyes fixed on the screen before them. The rest of the command centre was empty; already most of the base had been powered down, with only one terminal still working to monitor proceedings until the evacuation was complete.  
‘Good. Let’s get out of here.’ Patting her shoulder, Poe was pleased that they had completed the evacuation before the ground assault had been launched. There was only a handful of ground staff left and they would be well away before any stormtroopers arrived.  
As he and Connix headed out of the base towards the last ship waiting outside - the MC85 star cruiser which he had named the Organa in honour of their late and much cherished leader - Poe’s comlink started bleeping. He switched it on, ‘Finn!’  
‘Poe, can you read me?’ Finn was up on one of the smaller cruisers, already in the thick of events happening out just beyond the planet.  
‘Loud and clear, Finn.’  
‘Both Star Destroyers are down,’ said Finn, his voice shaking as the transport he was on took a direct hit from a TIE. ‘Looks like they won’t be able to launch the ground assault after all.’  
‘Really?’ That was some good news at least. They might be able to return and salvage the rest of the base another time. ‘How’s the fighter situation?’ Taking one last look around the place that had been his home for the past year or so, Poe turned off the power that supplied the base and headed outside after Connix.  
‘There’s plenty left but Black Squadron are handling it,’ said Finn, his voice fading in and out as the signal was interrupted by static. ‘Ben and Rey managed to take a few of them out before they hit lightspeed.’  
‘They got away? Good.’ It was a relief to know that two of their plans were progressing, with Lando, Prue and Chewie also on their way to the Outer Rim. Nimbly, he leapt onto the closing gangplank of the cruiser as it started to lift off from its surrounding framework, branches snapping and breaking as the bulky ship rose up above the tree-line. ‘What about the Dreadnaught?’  
‘It’s been slow to get its guns on line,’ came Finn’s voice, ‘we should be able to make the jump to lightspeed before it does.’  
‘Don’t forget to jam any transmissions before you do.’ In-between all her other jobs, Rose had spent ages working on a way to prevent the First Order from tracking them through lightspeed. This was the first time it would be tested.  
‘Will do.’ There was a slight pause before Finn added, ‘See you at the rendezvous.’  
‘Yeah, stay safe buddy,’ Poe felt a slight pang in his heart as Finn signed off, wishing that he had insisted his friend be on the same transport as him, but he shook such thoughts from his head. He had to concentrate on making sure they left the system with as few casualties as possible.  
The cruiser roared out of the planet’s atmosphere and into deep space, joining the last few Resistance transports that had not yet made it to lightspeed. TIE fighters swarmed around the ships like overzealous insects, but the squadron of X-Wings were working hard to keep them at bay.  
Arriving at the bridge, Poe was brought up to speed by Commander D’Arcy and Lieutenant Chireen. As Finn had reported, the two Star Destroyers had been completely disabled, leaving the well-armoured but slow and ponderous Dreadnaught as the main threat.   
‘There seems to be a problem with its guns,’ D’Arcy explained as the cruiser headed on a trajectory that would take it away from the main battle, although a stream of TIE fighters were already banking sharply around to follow it. ‘They’re taking ages to warm up.’  
‘Fortunate for us,’ smiled Poe, familiarising himself with his surroundings. His main command and support team, minus Finn and Rose, were all present, along with BB8 and Threepio. ‘How long until the jump to lightspeed?’  
‘Five minutes, General.’  
On the scanner, he could see that the large Dreadnaught was swinging itself around, hoping to target the cruiser before it made lightspeed. Opening up the channel to the rest of the fleet, he advised them to spend as little time as possible engaging the enemy and to make it to the rendezvous point. ‘We need to keep in as good shape as possible,’ he commanded, watching as an X-Wing was blown into stardust by a TIE, only for the enemy fighter to be annihilated by another of the Resistance fighters. ‘Concentrate on making the jump to lightspeed in four point oh seven minutes.’  
He looked over at D’Arcy who was calculating the time it would take for the Dreadnaught to engage them with its guns. ‘How long have we got?’  
‘About 30 seconds.’ D’Arcy was used to surviving despite terrible odds, it barely registered a flicker of concern on her face.  
‘Those odds are not very optimistic,’ cautioned Threepio, ready to calculate the actual percentage, but then stopped at a look from Poe.  
‘We’ll make it,’ said Poe mildly, patting the golden droid on his arm. But it would be a tense few minutes.  
As the cruiser headed towards the jump point, the rest of the fleet streaked past, making it to lightspeed before them. All that was left was the cruiser and two of the smaller transports that were flying alongside. Most of the TIES had been obliterated by the X-Wings, and all eyes were on the Dreadnaught, which was flanked by the two remaining, if useless, Star Destroyers.  
‘Who’s on that thing?’ Poe wondered out loud.  
‘It can’t be Supreme Leader Hux,’ said Threepio primly, ‘he’s on the Steadfast, which is currently part of the blockade around Coruscant.’  
‘That’s good to know,’ agreed Poe, watching nervously as the cruiser headed towards the jump point, the Dreadnaught following steadily behind.   
‘Its guns are coming online now.’ Connix indicated to Poe. Whatever problem the ship’d had was fixed.  
‘Two minutes to jump point,’ said Chiree, his voice steady.  
‘Come on,’ muttered Poe under his breath. ‘Get ready to block their transmission,’ he said to Connix, who was sat at the terminal beside him. It was a delicate action - do it too soon, and the First Order would figure out what was going on. Do it too late and the tracking technology would already be in place and override it.  
‘One minute and thirty seconds to jump point,’ Chiree intoned. The scanner showed that the guns were nearly ready, just two minutes before firing commenced.  
In front of them, the two smaller transports had sped up and reached the jump point a fraction before them. They disappeared into hyperspace, much to Poe’s relief. ‘It’s just us now,’ he murmured, focusing on the rendezvous point in his mind, as if picturing it would make it happen.  
‘One minute to jump point…’  
‘Ready to block their transmission,’ said Connix, the tremor in her voice betraying her anxiety.  
Poe nodded, ‘Go for it.’  
‘Thirty seconds…’  
Behind them, the Dreadnaught’s guns were ready and aimed….  
‘Punch it!’ yelled Poe, closing his eyes.

Admiral Griss watched as the first of the lasers from the enormous guns streaked towards the cruiser when suddenly the ship vanished into hyperspace.  
‘What just happened?’ He couldn’t believe his eyes. According to their calculations, the guns should have hit the target. ‘Can we get a track on that ship?’ he demanded, turning to the nearest operative.  
‘They’ve managed to block our signal,’ said the young woman, as surprised as he was. ‘I didn’t think that was possible.’  
‘No, neither did I,’ muttered Griss under his breath. Hux was not going to be pleased. Not only had he lost firepower from two Star Destroyers, one bizarrely after being attacked by the TIE that had formerly belonged to Kylo Ren, but the ground assault had been called off due to a faulty hangar mechanism, meaning the doors refused to open. If he did not know any better, he would have thought it to be sabotage. But who would sabotage a ship from inside the First Order? ‘Plot their route along every last known trajectory. Find out where they’re headed.’  
‘Yes, Admiral Griss.’  
‘Admiral,’ called another operative from across the command centre, ‘Supreme Leader Hux wishes to know how the destruction of the Resistance base is going.’  
‘Let me speak to him.’ Griss heaved a sigh. It was going to be one of those days.


	30. Lando and Chewbacca make the rendezvous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lando and Chewbacca, along with Prue, travel to Mos Eisley to meet with Sidon Ithano, who has gathered together a fleet that might be able to help the Resistance against the First Order.

‘I never thought I’d have to come to this awful place again,’ muttered Lando, as he walked through the notorious streets of Mos Eisley with Chewbacca, using his cane to keep hawkers, street traders and Jawas at bay. They had left Prue in the Falcon looking over a data-pad she had brought with her from Ajan Kloss, as well as additional security in case of any unwelcome intruders. ‘You can never be too careful in Mos Eisley,’ Lando had said to her before they left.  
Chuckling, Chewie mewed softly, reminding Lando that some of their best jobs had come from this awful place.   
‘It’s where you first met Luke, right?’ Pulling his hood closer around his face, Lando leaned on his walking cane, his joints feeling stiff after having to spend several nights sleeping on the Falcon. He didn’t know how much longer he was going to manage a life of roughing it.  
The Wookie nodded. Mos Eisley had not changed much since then, it was still the same grubby town with the same narrow, dusty streets filled with bars, junk yards and hangar bays. A meeting place for travellers, traders and scoundrels from all over the galaxy; bounty hunters, spies and informers, pirates, smugglers and ships for hire. The streets were filled with market traders, hawking their, often stolen, wares to anyone who would listen, setting out their stalls on blankets or makeshift tables, ready to be taken down at the first sign of trouble. For if Mos Eisley had an alternative name it would be ‘trouble.’ The First Order had tried to make inroads into this seething pile of crime and infamy under Kylo Ren, but he had not achieved much except annoying most of the smaller-time criminals. Crime was too ingrained into the fabric of society to be tackled easily, it was a way of life for most citizens of the dusty, backwater planet.  
Pushing past a rather enthusiastic seller of earthenware pots, Lando reflected that this visit might all be for nothing. Ever since they had left Ajan Kloss, he and Chewie had been hanging around waiting for their contact to make… well, contact with them. It had been several days but finally they had been given the call to meet with the Crimson Corsair in the cantina on Mos Eisley.   
‘I’m getting too old for this,’ he remarked as they walked past several Jawas pushing along a reluctant droid that reminded him of R2D2.  
How do you think I feel? said Chewie, growling as he noticed two First Order stormtroopers headed their way. Quickly, they side-stepped into an alleyway, knowing that it was a slightly longer route but if they were spotted, their whole mission would be for nothing. And Poe was counting on them to drum up support for a fleet that could support the mission on Naboo.  
Eventually they reached the cantina, studiously avoiding two more patrols and an over-zealous seller of ship parts, who was convinced that they required a new hyperdrive motivator. Outside were various droids waiting for their owners, watched zealously by Jawas hoping to abduct any that remained unclaimed at the end of the day. Ducking inside the entrance, Lando and Chewbacca walked down the stairs, peering into the smoky interior. As usual, the place was packed with denizens from all corners of the galaxy, of all species, sizes and predilections. Music played continuously in the background, a succession of popular hits that had rarely changed since the bar had been opened. There was a rumour circulating that the band, Modal Nodes, had tried to change their popular set, only for two of its members to be threatened with death if they did not reinstate it. The set list had never changed again.  
Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, Lando quickly scanned the crowd, looking for their contact. The message said that they would be sat in the third booth from the left upon entering the bar. Looking over, Lando saw his contact sitting in the booth. It was occupied by two individuals, one dressed in red-plate armour from head to toe, whom Lando recognised as Sidon Ithano, the Crimson Corsair, and Kuimi Enissa, former Lieutenant of the Lumini pirates, a young-looking woman dressed in a functional, yellow jumpsuit. If Lando was surprised to see these two individuals together, considering their history of antagonism towards each other, the only suggestion of it was a slightly raised eyebrow to Chewie, who shrugged in return. Chewie had seen enough bizarre collaborations between criminals and thieves in the past for it to seem normal.  
Arriving at the booth, Lando was greeted cheerfully by Sidon, who had removed his helmet for once. ‘Lando,’ he embraced the older man warmly, clapping him on the back. ‘Hey Chewbacca!’  
The Wookie greeted him politely.  
‘How’s it going?’  
‘It’s going great.’ Lando took a seat next to Sidon, who moved round to make sure there was enough room for him and the Wookie. ‘I finally found my daughter.’  
‘You did? You found Merilee?’ Sidon was amazed, he knew that Lando had spent many years trying to trace his daughter. Most, including Sidon, had assumed that she was dead.  
‘Yes, although she calls herself Jannah now.’  
’How did you find her? I thought you said that the guy you needed was hard to track down.’  
‘He was,’ admitted Lando, ‘but a remarkable set of coincidences brought us together.’  
And the Force, growled Chewie, keeping a close eye on what was happening in the rest of the cantina.  
‘Of course,’ nodded Lando, remembering the serendipity by which meeting Chewie had led him back to the Resistance.  
‘What happened to your daughter?’ asked Kuimi, who only knew of Lando by reputation. It was the first time that she had properly met him.  
Sidon helpfully explained to her that, ‘The First Order took Lando’s daughter when she was a child.’  
‘Why?’ Kuimi looked horrified.  
‘Most of the First Order’s recruits were taken from their families as children,’ said Lando, wondering how far the practices of the First Order were common knowledge amongst those who lived their lives off-world. ‘It was based on the same idea as the Jedi Order, that training recruits from a young age would lead to better, more obedient stormtroopers, pilots and so on. We call them the lost children.’  
‘I didn’t know,’ said Kuimi distantly, looking upset. She had lost her parents at a young age, and learning that the First Order had purposefully removed children from their families was upsetting.  
‘Want a drink?’ asked Lando kindly, seeing her distress.   
Kuimi indicated her empty glass, ‘Sure.’  
‘What’s your poison?’  
‘Beer please.’  
Sidon offered up his own glass, ‘Beer for me too.’  
Lando looked at Chewie, who nodded and headed off towards the bar in his lumbering fashion. Turning back to Sidon, he observed that the pirate’s face was looking more grizzled than the last time he had seen him. There was stubble on his chin and his dark hair was not as well groomed as Sidon’s usual standards. ‘What’s up?’  
‘It’s been a rough few months,’ Sidon complained, glancing over at Kuimi. ‘The First Order’s been trying to clamp down on criminal activity out here, which of course is doomed to failure. But it hasn’t stopped them trying.’ He indicated the young woman next to him, ‘You know Kuimi?’  
Smiling, Lando shook his head. ‘I’ve not had the pleasure.’  
Kuimi extended her hand. It was pale and thin, with neatly trimmed nails, ‘The pleasure is all mine, Baron Calrissian.’  
Taking her hand, Lando chuckled. ‘No one’s called me that in a long time.’  
‘It’s your rightful title,’ Sidon pointed out. ‘Kuimi here’s the sole survivor of the First Order’s efforts to wipe out the Lumini pirates.’  
Kuimi fiddled with her glass, ‘We’re not the only ones who have suffered,’ she said quietly, ‘they want to wipe out anyone who does not fit into their idea of a law-abiding citizen. Smugglers, pirates, bounty hunters… Anyone who just wants to make their own way in the galaxy.’  
‘You too?’ Lando looked back to Sidon.  
Sidon nodded, ‘Considering that the First Order was supported by many of the… more ruthless crime syndicates, it was a bit of a surprise when they came for us. I lost two of my ships. But what can we do? We keep going.’  
‘We do,’ said Kuimi, her pale blue eyes blazing with suppressed anger.  
Chewie finally returned with the beers, plus a wine for Lando. Rather than take a seat with them, he growled softly that he had seen some old acquaintances who were asking about Han, and he wanted to tell them what had happened.  
‘Of course, Chewie, I’ll hold the fort here.’ As Chewie returned to the bar, Lando turned back to Sidon. ‘Is that what encouraged you to join us?’ Ever since the information had come from L9-D9 and Lothal that there was potential support in the Outer Rim, Poe had pushed for that support to be encouraged by any means necessary. Now it seemed to be paying off.  
Sidon nodded, ’’There’s plenty more of us, too.’  
‘How many ships?’ Lando wanted to know.  
‘Around fifty, maybe more.’ Sipping his drink, Sidon listed a few of the names of their pilots. ‘There’s Zulay Ulor, Kid Malmash, Corus Kapellim, Wilsa Teshlo, Seleno Chandro, AL1-L3, and Lazu Lirona to name a few. All pissed off with the First Order.’  
Lando smiled, ‘They must be to throw their lot in with a cause like the Resistance.’  
Kuimi smiled, showing small, neat teeth. ‘It must seem absurd to a war hero like yourself.’  
‘Not absurd,’ said Lando carefully, wanting to be diplomatic. ‘Everyone has their tipping point. What they’re prepared to accept before it becomes too… shall we say, close to home?’  
Kuimi blushed red, ashamed of her own lack of conviction in the past. When the Hosian System had been obliterated by the First Order, she had thought little of it, unconcerned about the collapse of what had seemed to her a weak and feeble government, unwilling to re-militarise against a growing threat. It was not until the First Order had started to systematically concern itself with the criminal elements of the galaxy, however, that she had been forced to act. Even the Empire had largely left scoundrels to their own devices as long as their activities did not impact too much on Imperial trade and activity, and when the First Order had started to concern itself with combating slavery, smuggling and other criminal activities across the galaxy, it had been a wake-up call for many such as Kuimi.  
‘We’ve all suffered losses,’ continued Lando, who had not even touched his drink. ‘We’ve lost family, friends… loved ones. Some of us more than others. But if it’s one thing we’re united in is the need to end the hate. End the destruction. Even if we don’t agree about the kind of galaxy we want to live in, we can at least agree on the need to remove the First Order as the first step in healing this broken one of ours.’  
Sidon raised his glass, ‘I can drink to that! So, what’s the plan? What do you need us to do?’  
‘We need to take back Naboo.’  
‘You’re serious?’ Sidon frowned, thinking the Resistance had gone mad. ‘That system is under heavy blockade now the Queen’s escaped.’  
‘It is, and they need our help to break it.’ Lando looked at them both solemnly, ‘I know it’s a big ask. Hell, it’s a huge ask. If it wasn’t for the main fleet being needed on Coruscant, we wouldn’t be asking. Neither would we being doing it if we were just gonna fly in and blow everything up.’  
Sidon and Kuimi looked confused. ‘That’s not what we’re doing?’  
‘No.’ Lando sat back. ‘I’m sure you don’t want a history lesson but the implications of going in and blowing up soldiers that were stolen as children is… well, let’s say, I don’t want it on my conscience.’  
Heaving a deep sigh, Sidon shook his head. ‘Why didn’t I think this was going to be complicated?’  
‘It’s not,’ insisted Lando, leaning forward, ‘we’ve got to get them to see that they’ve been brainwashed. They’re not who’re they’re supposed to be.’  
‘You’ve got proof of this?’  
Lando nodded. ‘An archive from the First Order. All the names, home planets, and information about the children they’ve taken. Poe’s going to use it to bombard them with propaganda.’  
Relaxing a little, Sidon considered Lando’s words. ‘So your plan is to encourage them to turn on the First Order rather than attack us?’  
‘You’re right,’ smiled Lando, nodding enthusiastically, ‘we still might need to use a show of force but according to our intel there’s a hell of a lot of disaffected stormtroopers on that planet. Some have defected already. We’ve got one of them, Prue, with us and she’s going to co-ordinate our approach with me.’  
‘So there’s already some deserters on the ground?’  
‘There is.’  
That changed things in Sidon’s mind and he was hit with a sudden idea. ‘You know about the Queen?’  
‘Not where she is,’ admitted Lando. ‘We had some intel on her whereabouts, but the trail’s gone cold.’  
‘I can help with that,’ said Sidon quietly. ‘I’ve heard some rumours. If we can find her and get her on side, she could be the figurehead for the whole operation!’   
‘I like how you’re thinking,’ said Lando. Having the Queen on their side might also help to rally the people of Naboo against their oppressors. ‘So you’re in?’  
Sidon looked at Kuimi, who nodded. ‘We’re in. I’ll transmit our co-ordinates to the Falcon. You’ll have to come and meet the rest of the fleet.’ Feeling a prickling sensation on the back of his neck, Sidon glanced up. ‘Uh oh.’  
‘What is it?’ Lando did not dare look.  
‘First Order patrol,’ replied Sidon, taking a greater interest in his beverage. ‘Happens every so often.’  
‘Yeah, just as I happen to be here,’ grumbled Lando. He wondered where Chewie was. ‘I better get back to the Falcon. You’ll send me those co-ordinates?’  
‘As soon as we get back to the ship,’ agreed Sidon, briefly touching his fingers to his forehead in a salute as Lando got to his feet. ‘Catch you later.’  
‘Stay in touch.’ Grabbing his cane, Lando saw with relief that the First Order troops were heading straight towards the bar, giving him time to sneak out via the exit. Assuming that Chewie would make his own way back to the ship, Lando hobbled out as fast as he could. Outside, the heat of the day hit him with full force after the much cooler conditions of the cantina and sweat started to break out on his brow. I’m getting too old for this, he thought as he put his shoulders back and started to walk sedately back to the docking bay, albeit at a slightly faster pace than usual. Fortunately he managed to avoid more First Order patrols and overly eager sellers of merchandise, and, surprisingly, made it back to the Falcon before Chewbacca did.  
Going inside, he found Prue sat in the main cabin, waiting to see who had come back. ‘What’s up, kid?’  
‘You’re back early.’  
‘First Order patrols everywhere,’ panted Lando, taking off his disguise and draping it over a nearby bulkhead. ‘But we made contact with our source.’  
‘And?’ Prue brushed her hands through her short cropped hair, scratching at her itchy head. She hadn’t washed it in a few days, and had just been about to use the Falcon’s cramped ‘fresher when she heard Lando coming back.  
Needing a rest, Lando took a seat next to the gaming table. ‘As we suspected, it’s who we might call the ‘unaffiliated.’ Pirates, scoundrels, thieves, mercenaries, smugglers. Those without a cause or clear idea about who they want to have in charge. Mostly they work alone but something’s rattled them and they’ve finally come round to the idea that the First Order are dangerous.’  
Prue frowned, ‘Do we want to have them on side?’  
With a big grin, Lando said, ‘Needs must.’ When Prue looked unconvinced, he sighed. ‘Look, kid, I know it’s not ideal. The Resistance has enough problems without being associated with the galaxy’s scum. But these are not the worst scum, not by far. That honour is reserved for the crime syndicates that have been working with the First Order.’  
Prue raised her eyebrows, ‘So it’s okay then.’  
‘I’m being pragmatic,’ said Lando evenly, ‘and I know Poe will agree with me.’  
The door opened and Chewie came in, looking harassed. Immediately he closed the hatch again, mewing his concerns.  
‘Yeah it is hot out there,’ said Lando, getting to his feet. ‘But until we get the co-ordinates, where else can we go?’  
Chewie suggested that they low for a while, further out towards the edge of the Rim.  
‘Have we got enough resources?’ Lando wanted to know.  
‘Enough to last a few more weeks,’ said Prue, who had spent some time going through the remaining food and drink supplies whilst Lando and Chewie had been meeting with their contact.  
‘Let’s go then,’ agreed Lando, knowing there was little they could do until they got the co-ordinates. ‘Come on, Sidon, old buddy,’ he muttered to himself as he walked stiffly to the cockpit after Chewie.  
They were firing up the engines when a squad of First Order stormtroopers ran into the hangar bay, alerted to the ship’s presence by an informer, who had spotted Chewbacca in the cantina. Immediately they opened fire on the ship, bright bursts of laser immediately bouncing off its hull.  
‘Great,’ said Lando, calmly utilising the gun that hung from beneath the ship, taking down several stormtroopers, ‘Was that your fault or mine?’  
Chewbacca growled, making the final checks before lift-off.  
‘What’s going on?’ Prue came running into the cockpit, only to find that they were under attack.  
‘I’d sit down if I were you,’ advised Lando as laser pelted the cockpit window, more stormtroopers arriving to support their colleagues.  
The ship strained on its landing supports before starting to lift. Chewie punched the controls and the ship roared into life, speeding out of the hangar bay and into the planet’s upper atmosphere, leaving the stormtroopers far behind.  
‘If there’s troops there’s going to be a Star Destroyer,’ warned Prue, strapping herself in belatedly.  
‘I see it.’ Lando looked across at Chewie. ‘We know enough tricks to get away from it, don’t we Chewie?’  
If Chewie had eyebrows, he would have raised them. Instead he settled for a small chuckle, manoeuvring the ship into a new trajectory that would attempt to avoid detection by the larger ship’s scanners.  
‘Flying under the radar,’ grinned Lando, understanding what Chewie wanted to do. ‘I like it.’  
The plan had almost worked when Chewie barked crossly, gesturing angrily at the scanner.  
‘TIE fighters, where?’ asked Lando, glancing out the window.  
Chewbacca told him in no uncertain terms that it was no use looking out the window as the five TIEs were behind them.   
‘Five of them? Prue,’ he said calmly to the young woman sat behind him, ‘Can you remember how to use the guns?’  
‘I’m on it!’ Lando had given her a crash course in using the guns a few days ago, whilst they had been hanging around waiting for Sidon to get in touch, and getting out of her seat, she ran enthusiastically out of the cockpit and to the gun turret. Glad to have something to do.  
The ship rocked as laser fire pelted it from behind. ‘Wait a minute!’ frowned Lando, making sure the shields were okay. ‘You alright, Chewie?’   
Growling, Chewie took the ship into an impossibly steep dive towards the surface of the Star Destroyer, then pulled up sharply just as it seemed too late. Two of the TIEs immediately smashed into its hull, disintegrating on impact.   
‘I’ll never get tired of that manoeuvre,’ commented Lando, before switching on the comlink. ‘How you doing, kid?’  
‘Okay!’ Prue was not sure she liked the way in which the chair spun with the movement of the guns, but she quickly got the hang of the controls. Lights started flashing on the target computer as a TIE came into range, and she pushed the buttons hard. Outside, another of the fighters exploded into fragments of star dust.  
‘Great shot!’ crowed Lando, seeing that there were only two TIEs left. Neither of the remaining pilots could keep up with the Falcon’s suppleness, and Prue’s command of the gun soon saw both TIEs blasted to smithereens.  
With no more TIEs on their tail, they were also far away from the reach of the Star Destroyer. As Prue returned to the cockpit, Lando set a course that would take them deep into the Outer Rim, far away from the ever-growing tentacles of the First Order. Chewbacca was just about to make the jump to lightspeed, when a new light started to flash on the console.   
‘It’s an incoming transmission.’ Glancing at Chewie, Lando pressed the button to receive it. ‘It’s from Sidon.’ A series of co-ordinates flashed across the screen of the navi-computer, the whereabouts of the makeshift fleet he had promised to send them. It did not take long for Chewbacca to calculate a trajectory based on the new information, and soon they were on their way.


	31. Ben and Rey reach Exegol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey reach Exegol, and find a planet that is utterly devoid of life. Settlements are concentrated into ten 'mega-cities' and they decide to head for one of those, hoping to find a library or archive that can help them find out why Exegol was so important to Snoke and the First Order. But when they are arrested by a group of beings that look like, and think like, Snoke, the truth becomes much murkier. To ensure their survival, Ben pretends that Snoke is still alive, and he is his apprentice, Kylo Ren, a plan that Rey is not very happy about.

‘Hey!’  
Rey awoke with a start as the ship wrenched over to the right, throwing her off balance. Only Ben’s arm stopped her from falling. As soon as the ship righted itself, she twisted around in his lap, trying to see what was happening. ‘What’s going on?’  
‘Keep still, sweetheart,’ urged Ben, trying to concentrate on a difficult manoeuvre, ‘we’re in the nebula.’  
‘Already?’ Rey wondered how long she had been asleep. Outside, she could see strange red clouds surrounding the ship, formed of dust and luminous gases, shimmering and changing in response to huge surges of energy that were influenced by the birth of the new star at its core. Yet, it was so cold inside the nebula that icy particles clung to the window. Inside the cockpit, the holocron was flashing in response to the changing conditions as they sped through and she realised that Ben was using it to navigate. ‘How is it?’  
‘Not bad,’ he said, shifting into a higher gear and banking sharply upwards to avoid a substantial dust cloud heading towards them, ‘but it plays havoc with the scopes.’  
As soon as there was a lull, Rey slipped back into her seat so that Ben could focus. Looking down at the console, she saw what he meant about the scopes. Some of them weren't working properly, or were displaying misleading information, swinging from one extreme to the other. There was little she could do to contribute so she watched intently as the spectacle unfolded outside, holding on tight to her seat as the ship lurched its way crazily through the treacherous conditions. A hot surge of gas forced Ben to take drastic action and just as Rey thought the ship wouldn’t make it, the TIE was spat out of the nebula and back into relatively normal space.  
‘Just imagine,’ said Ben, filled with wonder that they had made it through the nebula, ‘very few people have been here.’ It was certainly uncharted territory as far as the Resistance was concerned.  
Before them, one planet and its two smaller moons could be seen orbiting a slowly dying star, thin tendrils of light spinning off it into space.  
‘Exegol,’ Rey murmured quietly. It looked like it was made out of dark side energy. Its surface was covered in dark, ominous clouds, wracked by lightening.  
Ben felt uneasy. ‘Find us somewhere to land.’  
Checking the navigational computer, which was drawing information from the holocron, Rey quickly found out that there was very little on Exegol. ‘It’s mostly barren wasteland,’ she said, ‘all life is concentrated in ten massive cities.’  
‘Is it toxic?’  
‘Yes,’ frowned Rey, peering at the information scrolling across the screen, ‘mostly to the north.’  
‘Then we’ll head for the south,’ suggested Ben, abruptly changing course.  
‘According to this, the planet has been heavily exploited for its natural resources.’  
Entering the planet’s atmosphere, the TIE plunged into the thick cloud that engulfed it, riven with lightning storms. In the next minute, the cockpit window was being pelted with giant hailstones that pinged and ricocheted off the toughened transparisteel.  
‘This is weird,’ said Ben, diving steeply to try and get out of the cloud cover.  
As soon as the TIE was clear of the cloud, they could see the surface of Exegol opening up in front of them. The evidence of exploitation was immediately clear to see. No lifeforms were present on its surface. No trees, no plants, no water. The land was completely flat and formed of uniform grey dust, pitted here and there with large craters. The sky was dark, stuck in endless twilight from the cloud cover and the star’s waning light. It made it difficult to tell where the land ended and the clouds began. Occasionally, they could see the visible evidence of mining operations which had buried deep into the planet’s surface, rending the ground with huge scars. Spoil heaps and pools of rust coloured water provided some variation from the relentless monotony but it was not a landscape to fall in love with. Quite the opposite.  
‘What has happened here?’ said Rey, devastated by what she saw. She could not comprehend how any species could do this to their home. All life had been obliterated - for what?  
‘It’s rampant exploitation,’ murmured Ben, equally appalled. As a child he had loved being in nature, the dense woods of Chandrila forming the backdrop to his happiest memories.  
In the distance, what appeared to be a city started to appear on the horizon, a huge expanse of densely packed buildings surrounded by a thick, shimmering brown haze. At its centre were huge towers that stuck out of the thick smog that covered the lower levels of the city. As the TIE sped towards it, they could see evidence of industry, what looked like gigantic shipyards, warehouses and factories, all belching out thick smoke.  
‘That’s what the exploitation is for,’ said Ben, pointing it out to Rey. ‘The desire for technological advance at any cost.’  
‘The philosophy of the First Order,’ she realised.  
Ben nodded. ‘If Hux had his way, all planets would look like this.’  
They agreed that the city would be the best place to start gathering evidence of the First Order’s origins.  
‘Perhaps there’s a library or archive we can use,’ mused Ben as they searched for a good place to land the ship on the city’s outskirts. So far they had not been spotted but he wondered if it was too risky to go into public buildings, if such a thing existed here.  
‘What about that warehouse?’ suggested Rey as they skimmed low over rough wasteland towards a collection of large buildings. One at the centre looked like it had been abandoned for years. Most of it was falling down and there was a large hole in the roof to slip the TIE into. Agreeing with her assessment, Ben slowed the ship down and carefully negotiated it inside the building. As they landed, huge clouds of dust flew into the air, obscuring the cockpit’s viewport and forcing Ben to use his instincts. But as soon as he sensed the ground was close, he engaged the landing supports and the ship landed with only a slight jolt.  
As the engines powered down, Ben sat back in his seat, tired out by their journey. ‘Here we are.’  
Reaching down, Rey picked up her bag. There was a strange tingling in her stomach, not only from nervousness about what they might find here but also from hunger. ‘Here,’ she handed Ben a ration bar, taking one for herself and opening it. ‘What’s the plan?’  
Ben’s head was telling him that it needed a good rest but he ignored it. ‘Have a look around. See what’s going on.’ Stuffing the ration bar into his pocket, he looked over at Rey. She was looking for something to tie her hair back with. ‘Leave it,’ he said, as she tried to secure it with a frayed bit of string she had found at the bottom of her bag. ‘It looks good like that.’  
‘It’s getting in the way,’ she said, managing to secure her hair in a loose bunch at the nape of her neck. She looked at him with concern, wondering if his mind was properly focused on their task.  
‘No, it’s not,’ Ben cheerfully admitted, much to her chagrin.  
‘Perhaps you need to have a rest before we head out?’ she suggested, seeing that he was exhausted.  
‘I’ll be fine.’ He massaged his forehead, trying to push away the dull headache that was lingering behind his eyes. It had taken extreme concentration to get through the nebula and now he was suffering the consequences.  
‘Here, let me.’ Reaching over, she touched her fingers gently to his forehead, closing her eyes so that she could channel the Force’s healing power to help him. After a minute or two, she felt him relax as some of the tension and stress within him dissipated. Opening her eyes, she smiled at him. ‘Better?’  
‘Better.’ The coolness of her fingers had helped to soothe the raging pain in his head, giving him the impetus he needed to get up and leave the ship.  
‘Let’s go.’  
‘Hang on.’ Grabbing his lightsaber, he locked the console so that no-one could steal the ship.  
Opening the hatch, Rey peered out across the warehouse, holding her blaster steady. Unsettling silence greeted her but she waited a few more moments before making her decision. ‘It’s clear.’  
They both slipped out of the TIE, wrinkling their noses at the sour taste of the atmosphere. Securing the hatch, Ben suggested that they head north, remembering that he had seen some of the largest buildings in that part of the city. If it was anything like Coruscant and the Core World cities, the most important public buildings would be located in the centre. As they picked their way through the junk-strewn warehouse, Rey asked Ben what he was hoping to find.  
‘Someone who’s willing to give us information.’  
‘Is that likely?’  
‘How do I know,’ he said irritably, wondering what her problem was. ’We’ll make it up as we go along.’  
They reached the doorway, both of them peering out to see if the coast was clear. ‘It’s useful to have a rough plan though, don’t you think?’ It seemed strange to her that he was thinking on his feet, she had assumed that Ben was much more organised than she was.  
‘We do.’ A new sensation was nagging at him, but he couldn’t place it.  
‘Have a plan?’  
‘Yes!’  
Leaving the warehouse, they headed down a poorly maintained road, barely a dirt track, that ran along the length of the buildings. There was rubbish everywhere, coated in a thick, grey dust that soon covered their boots. Street lighting was fortunately ample, and necessary considering the lack of sunlight, but there was nobody to be seen and no vehicles. The entire district was either barely used or abandoned.  
‘Then can you tell me?’  
‘I thought I just did…’ Ben stopped as they were suddenly bathed in bright, white light. Looking up, he could hear the whirring of engines from high above them.  
‘stop where you are and put your hands up!’ barked a loud voice in Basic.  
Do we run?  
Not yet, replied Ben, thinking that they should seize the opportunity to make contact with some of the planet’s natives. Removing his lightsaber from his belt, he dropped it onto the ground.  
Trusting Ben’s decision, Rey put down her lightsaber and blaster before putting her hands up in front of her. As she watched, a large speeder lowered itself slowly out of the sky to hover above the ground a few yards away. It was the source of the light that was trained onto them, obscuring their surroundings. From the back of the speeder emerged two humans wearing uniforms and holding blasters, probably security guards. They jumped down deftly and came and stood in front of Ben and Rey. ‘Don’t move.’  
As the two Jedi remained still, their hands in the air, another being appeared from behind the two humans, coming into the light’s bright beam. It was taller than all of them, willowy and slightly bent over. Dressed in dark blue robes edged with gold, the being had no hair to speak of, and its skin was pale and wrinkled. Small, watery blue eyes stared out of deep set cavities, the face expressionless.  
Ben blanched. It was like looking into the face of Snoke.  
‘What is your purpose here?’ asked the being softly, looking them both up and down. Ben and Rey could both feel a tug at their minds as the Snoke-like creature tried to probe them. It did not take much effort to resist it, however.  
Leave this to me. To the being, Ben said, ‘I was wondering when you were going to show up. Snoke only gave me vague instructions about how to find you.’  
The being frowned, ‘You know Snoke?’  
Drawing himself up to his full height, Ben nodded. ‘I am his apprentice. Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren.’  
The being looked suitably impressed. ‘We have not heard from Snoke for many, many years,’ it said slowly, as the two humans lowered their blasters cautiously. ‘Why has he sent you?’  
‘To restore contact and inform you as to how his plans are proceeding,’ bluffed Ben, not daring to look at Rey. He could already sense her doubt about the effectiveness of his approach.  
‘We will take you to the Overseer of Four,’ said the being, indicating the speeder parked on the ground behind it. ‘You will ride with us.’  
As the humans returned to their speeder, Ben made to follow the being after retrieving his lightsaber, as did Rey. But as soon as it saw her, the being stopped and shook its head. ‘No females may visit the Overseer,’ it explained. ‘She will wait here for your return.’  
‘Rey is my apprentice,’ Ben said quickly, seeing Rey was about to complain, ‘and my companion. She must be allowed to travel with me.’  
Already, he seemed to have developed some tacit authority with the being as it readily acquiesced with his request. Ben felt certain that because the being had low levels of sensitivity in the Force, it would recognise stronger Force users when it saw them. Perhaps their Force sensitivity would be a positive attribute in this situation.  
Did you have to say that? grumbled Rey, as she followed Ben to the speeder.  
What?  
About me being your apprentice.  
Sorry. It was the first thing that had come into his head.  
The being climbed into its speeder, where there was another human sitting in the pilot’s seat wearing the same uniform as the others. Ben and Rey clambered up into the seats at the back. Steadily, the speeder rose into the air, its bright lights at first concealing the city below but soon, once their eyes had got used to it, Ben and Rey were afforded a much better view of its layout as they travelled into the city. The low-level buildings in the district they had landed in soon gave way to much taller structures, their tops hidden in the dense smog that covered the entire city. Inside the smog could be seen many other speeders, their drivers wearing helmets or face masks to protect them from the toxic air. The speeder Ben and Rey were in had a special protective bubble over it to achieve the same function, and it joined the reams of traffic heading towards the centre of the city. Below them, vast streets were thronged with humans, the bright lights of shop windows and advertising signs glowing eerily in the half-light.  
Ben turned to say something to Rey, but saw that she was still stewing about his ‘apprentice’ comment. I said I was sorry. When Rey ignored him, he returned to looking at the sights around them, there would be time later to collaborate on a consistent story.  
As the speeder emerged from between two tall, thin towers, in the distance could be seen an enormous inverted pyramid, seemingly floating free from the buildings around it. It seemed to glow, its surface clad in shiny black panels that reflected light across its surface.  
‘What is that?’ breathed Ben, wondering at the technology that could create such a building.  
‘The home of the Overseer,’ said the being in front of him, the first time that it had spoken throughout the entire journey. ‘Only the most worthy are permitted into their presence.’  
Considering Snoke’s views on elitism and hierarchy, Ben was not surprised that the race of beings he came from would hold the same views. No doubt they would have to prove themselves worthy. He glanced across over at Rey. Her eyes were fixed on the building ahead, her face impassive, but he could feel her anxiety beneath the calm surface. You okay?  
‘What?’ Distracted, Rey forgot to shield her response. The power and wealth of the city’s inhabitants terrified her, especially the mysterious Overseer. Yet she had only seen humans within the city proper, no one of the Snoke-like beings stature or aspect seemed to inhabit the lower levels.  
Keep focused, Ben said as gently as possible, we can’t afford to make a mistake.  
I know that. She was nervous about having to maintain the deception.  
The speeder flew towards the bottom of the pyramid, heading for a long bank of landing platforms built towards the front of it. ‘Permission to land on platform 33-128’ said the human pilot into their comlink.  
‘State your purpose clearly,’ said a voice over the speaker.  
‘We have picked up two Force-sensitive humans who claim to have been sent here by Snoke,’ the being spoke now.  
‘Land immediately at your requested platform,’ said the voice, ‘and bring them to us.’  
Snoke’s name seemed to be the key to unlocking things on Exegol and Ben meant to benefit from it. The speeder landed gracefully on the platform, and Ben and Rey were immediately ushered out. They were led by the taller being along a thin bridge that led to a large circular platform underneath the base of the pyramid. As they stood on it, the platform started to rise and it took them up into an opening that appeared in the base above them. As it connected to, and stopped at, another platform inside, the being stepped off and indicated that Ben and Rey should follow him.  
They were led down a long corridor with large windows each side that looked onto huge spaces filled with beings working at pristine white desks. Behind them, large screens showed images of different ships, Rey instantly recognising a Star Destroyer.  
‘These are some of our ship design studios,’ the being noted, seeing the two humans staring about them. ‘Most of our resources are concentrated in that area as per Snoke’s instructions.’  
‘The First Order fleet is the wonder of the known galaxy,’ said Ben, truly impressed with the scale of their operations, if also disturbed by it. ‘It stands unparalleled.’  
‘We are pleased to hear that,’ said the being, leading them over towards a bank of elevators. ‘Before he left, Snoke was insistent that the future of our species lay in the harnessing of flight technology. Something we have always struggled with, due to the malign influence of the nebula.’  
‘Snoke is most wise,’ Ben forced himself to say, before immediately being swamped by Rey’s discomfort.  
As the doors to the elevators opened, they went inside and joined several more of the Snoke-like beings inside. All of them were dressed in gaudy colours, their clothing loose and comfortable. They showed a mild interest in the newcomers, until they saw Rey. As soon as they laid eyes on the young woman, all three beings drew back violently, regarding her with horror.  
‘What is this thing doing here?’ one dressed in a long green robe asked the being that accompanied them.  
Rey held her head high, refusing to cower in their presence, which made them all the more uncomfortable.  
‘She is here with Kylo Ren, Snoke’s apprentice,’ it explained for their benefit.  
There was a murmur of surprise and delight. ‘Really? Snoke has been in contact?’  
‘Not directly,’ the being admitted, still wary about Ben’s claims. ‘But this young man says that he represents him and will update us on the progress of the First Order’s plans.’  
The three beings stared at Ben. He knew that they were suspicious but it was to be expected. If he had been dressed in the armour he had worn as Kylo Ren, he would have looked the part far more than his current attire. As such, he was relying on his imposing height and attempt at calm authority to carry him through.  
I don’t know how you can go through with this, grumbled Rey, afraid that their ruse would be uncovered any moment.  
Relax, we’re doing okay. Her anger and disgust at her treatment, although understandable, was beginning to affect him.  
‘And the… girl?’ The green-robed being was staring at Rey now. ‘How is she relevant to Snoke’s plans?’  
‘She is my apprentice,’ said Ben matter-of-factly, ‘and apart from myself, she is the most gifted Force user that Snoke has ever encountered.’  
That seemed to intrigue the three beings. ‘It is rare to hear of humans that are strong in the Force,’ said one, wearing a red-trimmed robe of golden silk.  
‘Rare?’ scoffed the green-robed being. ‘It’s unheard of! Why would mere humans be granted this gift by the Force?’  
‘It is a matter for the Overseer to understand,’ snapped the being accompanying Ben and Rey. ‘Now if you excuse us, we have an important meeting to attend.’  
The elevator came to a smooth halt, and the doors opened. With great relief, Ben and Rey left the other three beings inside the elevator and followed their custodian into a thickly carpeted hallway. Feeling anxious, Rey reached out for Ben’s fingers, pleased when he immediately got the hint and grasped her hand in his. It made her feel better, as well as giving the Snokes an obvious sign that they were together.  
They were led along a wide, brightly-lit corridor to a set of ostentatious gold doors, which slid open smoothly, revealing a large and ornate room. Reminded of Snoke’s throne room, Rey immediately noticed the large windows that overlooked the city, each one framed by fussy velvet drapes that were lined and trimmed with gold. At one end of the room were several ceiling-height bookcases, filled to bursting with books of all shapes and sizes. But soon her eyes were drawn to the centre of the room, where a large wooden desk was sat on a high platform, reached by a number of steps. At the desk was sat another of the Snoke-like beings, working at a computer terminal. Otherwise there was very little on the desk, a pile of books and a small cup decorated with translucent blue glaze.  
‘Most worthy Overseer,’ said their custodian, bowing deeply, ‘these are the humans you requested to see.’  
The Overseer glanced up from his screen. ‘Ah yes.’ Standing up, he switched the screen off and walked down the stairs. Like the other beings, he was tall and willowy, slow of gait and dressed in elaborate robes. This being clearly favoured purple, and he was dressed in velvet to match the drapes. He walked slowly over to where Rey and Ben were waiting patiently, still holding hands. For a short moment, he stared at their custodian then dismissed him with a wave of his hand. ‘Leave us.’  
The custodian bowed and left, his long robes swishing as he made his way towards the door.  
Let’s hope this works. Ben realised the magnitude of their situation.  
Just don’t get carried away. Rey hoped that Ben would be able to keep his cool. She could feel how anxious he was.  
Regarding them with his pale blue eyes, the Overseer looked over Rey with slight discomfort, as if her very presence was distasteful to him. She could feel him trying to enter into her mind but she pushed out the suggestion easily and there was little effort to push back. Instead, the Overseer turned his attention to Ben. ‘You say you are Snoke’s apprentice?’  
‘Yes.’ Ben did not know which title to use with the Overseer but he did not want to come across as overly obsequious either. That would have been Hux’s approach.  
‘Your name?’  
‘Kylo Ren.’ He could feel the being’s burning interest in him and it made him anxious. But he kept as still as he could, his face impassive.  
‘Ahhh,’ the being nodded. ‘You are Master of the Ren, or the Shadow as we know it here. It surprises me then,’ he went on, coming right up to Ben and touching a cool hand to his forehead, ‘that we have not heard of you before now.’  
Beside him, Rey felt Ben’s fingers tighten around hers, feeling his discomfort from the Overseer’s proximity.  
’Snoke was waiting until I had completed my training before I came to you.’ As before, Ben could feel a tugging at his consciousness when the being attempted to probe into his mind. As before, he resisted it and, frustrated, the Overseer removed his hand, much to Ben’s relief. ‘He would only reveal to me the true secrets of his origins when I had been fully initiated in the dark side.’  
‘And now your training is complete?’ When Ben nodded, he continued, ‘And he sent you here to discover what you could about his origins?’  
‘Yes, and to update you on the continuing progress of the First Order.’  
‘He has taken his time,’ said the Overseer softly, more to himself than to Ben. ‘We have not heard from him for many years and now you arrive here, just as we were beginning to lose all hope. Could it be the sign we have longed for?’ He turned back to the two young warriors. ‘You have both been trained by Snoke?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘But how is it possible? How can mere humans resist the mind probe of an Overseer?’  
‘Snoke chose us because of our strength in the Force,’ elaborated Ben, making sure that the being knew Rey was as strong, if not stronger, than he was. ‘He tells me that he has never seen such raw power like ours before.’  
‘So, both of you are… unusual?’  
‘In some respects, yes, but many beings show promise in the Force. For thousands of years there was an Order devoted to training them.’  
‘Yes, we have heard of the Jedi, and their counterparts, the Sith.’ The being gestured over to one of the bookcases. ’It strikes me that the humans in your part of the galaxy are superior to the ones we have here. For all our time here, we have never seen a human that can manipulate the Force as we can.’ He smiled at them both. ‘Perhaps you would permit me to have a demonstration of your powers?’  
For Rey, who had remained silent during the entire conversation, the chance to do something active was a relief. They demonstrated a few of their abilities to the Overseer, including their prowess with the lightsaber, telekinesis, object levitation and mastery of illusion. He watched fascinated, clapping his hands with delight when the demonstration came to an end.  
‘How marvellous! Snoke has trained you well. But we sense that there is something more to your connection. The way you anticipate each other’s movements is most singular; you are so fluid, so graceful, almost as if you are of one mind. It is truly special to see the bond you have achieved between yourselves.’  
Ben glanced at Rey. ‘We have found an affinity with each other through the Force.’  
The Overseer seemed happy with the explanation and Ben did not feel the need to elaborate further. He was already uncomfortable; having to perform to the Overseer felt strange, even exploitative, and he was not willing to have their connection as a dyad dissected further. For her part, Rey was fuming, not only because of her treatment but because she could not help feeling that the Overseer was subtlety manipulating Ben. His calm, friendly demeanour was an act. Just as Snoke’s had been.  
The Overseer said that he would take them on a tour of the city, and requested a transport to come and pick them up. ‘You must be keen to see where your master, Snoke, originated from,’ he said, as he walked with Ben and Rey to the elevators. ‘This city is not his home but it is very like where he was born. All of our cities have the same basic structure.’  
Suggests a lack of originality, grumbled Rey.  
Or knowing what works. To the Overseer, Ben said conversationally, ‘We saw a little of the city as we came here. It certainly looks impressive.’ He was looking forward to learning more about Exegol now that he was here, refuelling his interest in Snoke’s origins that had flared up following his death.  
Don’t get too comfortable, warned Rey as they followed the Overseer into the elevator, he’s trying to catch you out.  
You think so? Ben was surprised he had not realised but he was grateful for her caution. He had been so focused on concocting their story that he had neglected to properly observe the Overseer’s manner and attitude. But that was why they worked well as a dyad, Rey could pick up on what he missed and vice versa.  
For the remainder of the day - although Ben and Rey had no idea how they marked days on Exegol, the sky was permanently dark because of the atmospheric pollution and weak sun - the Overseer took them on a tour of the city. He explained to them that there were ten such cities on Exegol, that settlements had been concentrated together by necessity due to the toxic conditions outside in the wilderness areas. Each city had an Overseer and they could communicate with each other via telepathy, just like every member of their species. As they flew around in the Overseer’s personal speeder, Ben and Rey found it hard not to be impressed with the architecture in the grander parts of the city, particularly around the centre where the large pyramid dominated. Like other mega-cities such as Coruscant, however, these areas existed in stark contrast to the poorer and industrial parts of the city, which were drab and dreary. Inevitably, these were the areas where humans lived, the more pleasant districts reserved for the Overseers.  
When Ben asked the Overseer about the history of Exegol, he told them that his species had first come to the planet thousands of years ago, drawn there by a mysterious energy source, known only as the Shadow. The Shadow was a peculiar entity, manifesting as a cloud of energy. Conscious like the Force, it had the ability to grow, change and transform itself.  
‘We worship the Shadow,’ the Overseer explained, ‘as the source of our civilisation. In return for our devotion, it granted us secret knowledge of the energy source that enabled us to develop and grow. We went from a barely literate culture to one that could command a galaxy.’ He explained how early settlers had harnessed the energy from its source in the planet’s core, discovering that the planet was rich in material resources and minerals. ‘It was quite different then,’ he said, almost sadly, ‘a haven for wildlife, with lush forests and seas rich in life. As much as we venerate our ancestors, we do regret the harm that was done to our planet in order to achieve our success.’  
As the beings developed and refined their civilisation in the fertile conditions of Exegol, the Overseer explained that they came to shun practical work, preferring to focus on that which best utilised their intelligence and perceptive minds, such as design and research. ‘It was by fortunate coincidence that some humans discovered Exegol,’ the Overseer said, as the speeder flew slowly past a huge building, the stone ornately carved with statues of tall beings, each holding the instruments of their trade. ‘In return for being allowed to settle here, they agreed to fulfil the more… practical work that our society requires.’  
They made them do all the dirty work, thought Rey with disgust. They exploited humans as much as they had exploited their own planet.  
‘What is this building here?’ asked Ben with interest, as they went past another huge building, this one built of the same glass-like stone of the pyramid. There were no obvious windows or entry-points, making the whole construction appear slightly sinister.  
The Overseer smiled. ‘This is the Ministry for Social Propagation. Unfortunately, because of the extreme damage inflicted upon our planet, and our people, by the necessary pollution on Exegol, we, and many of the humans that live here, have been rendered sterile.’ Seeing the surprise on their faces, the Overseer continued, ‘It is one of the chief drivers behind our need to continuously develop new technology. To find a solution to the terrible situation we find ourselves in. That we have no means of continuing our legacy.’  
Now we’re getting somewhere, said Ben to Rey.  
‘Inside that building,’ continued the Overseer, ‘are projects designed to promulgate our species whether through cloning or inter-species breeding, which would be anathema to most of us but is absolutely necessary. Many of the humans here are already produced through artificial methods. We have separate breeding factories for them, although some would prefer to continue their species in the traditional way.’ Here he glanced at Rey, ‘We assume that will be her role eventually?’  
Ben almost choked - with laughter or indignation on Rey’s behalf, he did not know - but managed to compose himself. ‘No, that is not Rey’s role. Although we would not call ourselves Jedi or Sith, we have pledged ourselves to continue in their path and to abstain from such… base concerns.’  
‘I see,’ said the Overseer thoughtfully. ‘So how do you plan to pass on your abilities?’  
‘We pass them on through training,’ said Ben, mindful of his own heritage. ‘Not through breeding.’  
‘In some ways I can understand that,’ nodded the Overseer, ‘human breeding is far too unpredictable and random to be relied upon. Even if two persons strong in the Force were to breed, like yourselves, it might not guarantee a child that is equally strong. That is why we prefer to have it under our control.’  
If Rey had been disgusted before, now she was almost apoplectic with rage. Not only from the readiness by which the Overseer saw her as someone for Ben to breed with, but the fact that they were breeding humans at all. If this was the planet from which the First Order originated, which looked increasingly likely, then some of the humans running and working in its ships and armies might well have been bred here in factories.  
Ben too was struggling with the realisation that the beings here were meddling with life itself. For him, it was quite clear where Snoke’s own philosophies had emerged from. His emphasis on elitism, on purity, stemmed directly from the ideas of his own race. They might be proud and intelligent but they were also working against the will of the Force, substituting it with their own dark needs, and prepared to destroy whatever was necessary in the name of progress. It was the ideology of the First Order at its most extreme.  
‘So the females of your species have died out entirely?’ Whilst the conversation focused on breeding, Ben wanted to ask the question that had been intriguing him ever since they had arrived on Exegol and seen the Overseers’ attitude towards Rey.  
‘A few exist,’ said the Overseer, ‘but they are confined to their homes. We no longer have need of them.’  
That was all he was prepared to say on the matter, and Ben did not push him further. It seemed that there was a deep-seated hatred of females within their society, which had given them the opportunity to disregard them entirely once sterility took hold of their species.  
They were now in the government district where planetary and city-wide affairs were conducted and run. The Overseer moved onto more recent history, telling that it had been to this city, his city, that Emperor Palpatine and his followers had come seeking support after the collapse of the Galactic Empire. They had seen what the Overseers had achieved on Exegol and had suggested to them that they could be the ones to lead the Empire into a glorious new phase. ‘The Emperor was dying,’ the Overseer explained, ‘and he needed someone to succeed him and continue his efforts to bring peace and order to the galaxy. To fight against the criminals and traitors that had forced him to retreat into the Unknown Regions.’  
But Palpatine was dead, said Rey to Ben. The Overseer was distracted by the pilot asking a question, giving them a chance to clear some things up.  
I thought so too. Clearly the beings had been deceived. I thought it was Admiral Sloane who brought the remnants of the Empire here.  
Admiral Sloane? I’ve not heard of him…  
For a start, he’s a woman, said Ben, trying not to laugh at Rey’s expression. Yes, there were women leaders in the Empire.  
I never knew that. It made sense to her, then, why the Overseer was lying about being contacted by Palpatine. Considering their views about women, it would not support their sense of superiority if they admitted it had been Admiral Sloane who had offered them unlimited power in return for their support.  
‘Where was I?’ said the Overseer, turning back to them. ‘Ah yes. I was talking about when the Emperor came here. To tell us about the next phase of his. The First Order he called it, and Palpatine himself chose one of us to become its leader,’ said the Overseer reverently. ‘As you know, that was Snoke. At the time, he was the most powerful and wise of the Overseers, chosen by the Shadow at birth to be its eventual vessel.’  
That would explain Snoke’s strength in the dark side. ‘Vessel?’  
‘When Snoke is ready to pass on, the Shadow will take over his body,’ explained the Overseer, ‘becoming the true ruler of the galaxy.’  
It was beginning to make sense in Ben’s mind why Snoke had wanted to penetrate outside the known galaxy, to expand into the wider universe. Whatever this Shadow was had grand plans for domination. ‘And soon you will leave the planet too.’  
‘Yes, my boy. This planet no longer serves our needs,’ smiled the Overseer. ‘It has been our home for centuries but we need new resources, new potential to continue our species. We gave everything we had to the First Order willingly, but it destroyed our planet in the process. In return, all we asked for was a new home, a new planet rich in resources where we could begin anew.’ He sighed deeply, smoothing the fabric of his robes down across his legs where it had caught against the side of the speeder. ‘When Snoke had consolidated his hold over the galaxy, he promised to return with details of this new planet, and we could begin our evacuation of Exegol. But until your arrival, Kylo Ren, we were beginning to despair as to whether our plans would come to fruition.’  
It was not only the people of the known Galaxy that Snoke had manipulated. He had fooled his own people into thinking that he would return for them once the First Order was triumphant. Yet the holocron he had found on Mustafar had contained no indications that enabling the survival of his own species was part of Snoke’s plans. Whilst Ben could see now that Snoke represented the ideals of his people, his former master had always presented himself as an anomaly, a singular entity with no ties to any planet or species. Any sympathy that Ben might have felt for the Overseer and its people was diminished, however, by their attitude towards every other species, as well as their own planet. To them, it was less of a home than a resource to be exploited. It was likely their new home would be treated the same way.  
The rest of the tour passed by in a blur for Ben and Rey as they tried to process the implications of the Overseer’s history lesson. After an excruciating meal, where the Overseer introduced them to more of the beings that ran the city, they were finally taken to a luxurious apartment, which the Overseer said could be theirs for the duration of their stay. As they looked around the large open living room, decorated in rich purples and greens, the Overseer said that he would arrange for their ship to be picked up and brought to a hangar close by. ‘Tomorrow you can tell us more about Snoke’s plans for the future, and we can show you the new ships that we have been working on.’ Bidding them goodnight, the Overseer finally left the apartment. As the door closed behind him, they could hear it being locked.  
‘I thought we were their guests,’ frowned Rey, looking around. The apartment truly was beautiful, with tall windows looking out over the city, draped with heavy, velvet curtains. There was minimal furniture - a couple of couches, bookcases filled with books, a large screen affixed to the wall, and a cabinet containing small, delicate-looking sculptures of animals and birds - but everything was well crafted in dark woods and rich fabrics. She would have felt better about being in it if she had not known the history of its origins.  
Collapsing onto one of the couches, Ben started to laugh. He did not know why, it just seemed the only response to their experience. Whilst he sat there giggling to himself, Rey looked at him as if he had gone crazy. ‘Are you okay?’  
‘Not really.’ He pushed his hands through his hair, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Part of his problem was that the Overseer had treated him very much like Snoke had done in the early days, bringing back unwanted memories. ‘This place… well I can see now why Snoke’s mind was so twisted.’  
‘They’ve spent years out here in isolation,’ agreed Rey, coming to sit next to him.  
‘With no other culture or species to show them the sheer stupidity of their ideas.’ Ben started laughing again. ‘To think that destroying and raping a planet of all its resources is the way to achieve progress? Yet these are the very ideas that Hux and the First Order believe in.’ He turned to Rey, ‘How can we explain this to Poe? He’s going to think we’re making it up.’  
‘The Empire were pretty good at exploiting the galaxy’s resources,’ Rey pointed out.  
‘Yeah but not to the detriment of their own lives,’ scoffed Ben, leaning back and stretching his arms out behind his head. ‘Even the Imperials were not stupid enough to allow themselves to become sterile.’  
‘Palpatine had no children,’ she reminded him.  
Ben shrugged. ‘He had Vader.’  
Not interested in arguing with him further, Rey got up and went over to one of the windows. Ben had the benefit of learning, of access to books and mentors like Luke when he was young. She had barely been taught to read by her parents, and certainly not by Unkar Plutt. Most of her education had been self-taught, gleaned from the stories of travellers to Jakku and from the older inhabitants of the planet, who had been grateful for her interest, fulfilling a subconscious desire to hand down their legacy as they neared the end of the lives.  
As her thoughts intruded into his own, Ben realised he had upset her. He had got too caught up, as usual, in his own opinions, forgetting that Rey would process their experiences differently. ‘I’m sorry.’  
‘It’s okay,’ said Rey flatly, wishing that her thoughts weren’t quite so transparent.  
Unsure what to say to make things better, he closed his eyes, feeling the beginning of a dull headache.  
Needing a distraction, Rey looked outside. The city was still very much alive despite the lateness of the hour. The airways were busy with speeder traffic, the streets filled with citizens going about their business. After a minute or two of watching them hurrying to and fro, she said to Ben, ‘We better let Poe know what we’ve found out.’  
‘Where’s the transmitter?’ he asked, hoping that they had not left it on the ship.  
‘In my bag.’ Rey went to find it; it was a small, temporary device suited to long-range transmissions but little else. Rose had encrypted it securely to ensure that no-one could hack into it but Rey knew that they had to be careful. Although the Overseer seemed to have warmed to Ben, she was certain that if they transgressed in any way, the Overseers would not need an excuse to dispose of them. They had shown that very clearly in their attitude towards anything that was not one of Snoke’s race.  
‘Exegol ought to be a lesson for any new government.’ Ben had calmed down from his initial hysteria and was considering the situation afresh. ‘The danger of allowing one ideology to have full control. The worship of wealth and power, of progress, at any cost. Such beliefs cannot be sustained indefinitely.’  
‘And if they get their way, they’ll only find another planet to destroy,’ Rey mused.  
‘And other galaxies.’  
She looked over to Ben, ‘And you knew nothing of this?’  
‘No.’ Ben shook his head, ‘I don’t know if anyone in the First Order does. Except maybe that General Pryde.’ He sighed, ‘But something doesn’t add up. Why would Snoke deny all knowledge of his own people?’  
‘He didn’t want them to share in his gains?’  
‘Maybe,’ wondered Ben. ‘But perhaps they only think Snoke betrayed them. Perhaps he really was waiting until the First Order consolidated its hold before he made contact.’ Which was when Ben had killed him.  
‘What do you think about the Shadow?’ asked Rey, finishing her set up of the transmitter.  
‘I don’t know,’ said Ben, still lounging on the couch. ‘If it’s a manifestation of the dark side, then it may be that these beings co-exist with it like the Sith did when the Jedi first encountered them.’ It had certainly warped and twisted their minds in a way that was similar to how the Sith desired to control and dominate the galaxy, although the Overseers had fortunately been confined to Exegol until the Imperial remnants showed up.  
‘I thought the Sith grew out of the Jedi Order?’ Over by the window, Rey looked up with interest.  
‘No, not at first. The Sith were a species that lived on Korriban and worshipped the dark side. Some Jedi who left the order discovered them and the two inter-bred over hundreds of years.’  
‘To create the Sith Order?’  
Ben nodded. ‘They were driven to extinction by the Jedi and by their own infighting until only one, Darth Bane, was left. He established that there should only ever be two Sith, to prevent the order from destroying itself again.’  
‘The Rule of Two?’ Rey remembered that Babu Frik had mentioned it.  
‘Yes. One to be the Master, and the other to learn.’  
‘Now they’re extinct,’ murmured Rey. She had a sudden thought, ‘Does that mean something new will emerge?’  
‘The Force consciously seeks to balance itself,’ said Ben. ‘The Jedi and the Sith are just names for those who are sensitive in the Force and use their powers in different ways. But whether the Force consciously created the Shadow is a good question. We need to find out more.’ If the dark side energy on Exegol had caused the Force to become unbalanced, then their presence here would not only be vital for the Resistance, but for the entire galaxy. The enormity of their situation suddenly made Ben feel very tired, and he rubbed his eyes.  
Seeing that Ben’s concentration was deteriorating, Rey turned her attention back to the transmitter. Turning it on, she watched as it sought to find a signal but it was very weak. Leaving the window, she wandered around the apartment, watching as the signal flickered and grew stronger. The strongest signal turned out to be in the bathroom, so they congregated in there, Rey sat on the white porcelain toilet and Ben perched on the edge of the over-large bath, the transmitter suspended over the sink between them. After some fiddling, they managed to get hold of Poe and explained the situation to him.  
‘So Exegol is… where Palpatine’s followers… went after… of Jakku?’ The transmission was terrible, affected by the nebula as well as the distance between them.  
‘It seems so,’ said Rey, ‘the Overseer said that Palpatine came to them with an offer.’  
‘Or someone who said they were Palpatine,’ Ben added, ‘Snoke’s people may have been manipulated into accepting the First Order.’  
‘Find out… you can,’ came Poe’s voice, getting weaker as the signal began to disappear, ‘must… and out.’  
Turning off the transmitter, Rey suddenly felt very tired. She yawned, which caused Ben to yawn too. He looked longingly at the bath. ‘I can’t remember the last time I had a bath.’  
‘I don’t think I’ve ever had one,’ remarked Rey.  
‘Then you must,’ insisted Ben, looking at the various bottles on the side of the bath. ‘Ooh, there’s bubbles.’  
As he busied himself with making her a bath, Rey reflected that Ben was an odd mixture; most of the time he was overly serious, meticulous and slightly awkward, at other times, he revealed glimpses of a childlike curiosity and humour, a chaotic, impulsive energy that intrigued her. She wanted to see more of this side of Ben, parts of which she was certain that Snoke had tried to eliminate in his quest to turn him into a dark warrior. The strain of being something he was not seemed to have left him continually on the verge of an emotional breakdown.  
Soon he had run her a deep, warm bath that was filled with bubbles. Rey looked confused, why would anyone want to fill their bath with foam when water would suffice. But Ben convinced her that it would make her really clean, and nice smelling. ‘Not that you don’t smell nice already,’ he said quickly, in case she was offended.  
But Rey was hardly listening, she was already playing with the bubbles. Mesmerised by the way they caught the light. Ben left her to enjoy her bath and, undressing quickly, she climbed in and sunk into the water. It was an amazing experience - the feel of the bubbles on her skin, the pleasant, fragrant smell and being surrounded by warm water. It seemed the height of luxury to the former scavenger. In the warm water she felt all her troubles and concerns drifting away, as well as the accumulated dirt. Lying back, she closed her eyes, feeling calm and at peace. She was just drifting off to sleep when the bathroom door opened, startling her.  
Ben peeked in cautiously. ‘Would you like a drink?’  
Making sure that she was smothered in bubbles, she said, ‘Please.’  
‘How is it?’ he asked as he came over, putting the drink on the widest edge of the bath so she could reach it.  
‘Lovely,’ she said, happy and relaxed for the first time that day. ‘I could fall asleep.’  
‘Waking up in a cold bath is not the best.’ He looked awkward, ‘Do you mind if I have a quick wash? I really need to test the bed out.’  
Rey nodded, focusing on her drink and the bath as Ben quickly undressed down to his underpants and washed himself in the sink. She tried not to look at his body as he did so, but she couldn’t help noticing the bandage around his middle. ‘I thought your wound had healed?’  
Splashing his face with water, Ben shook his head. ‘Not quite.’ He wiped his face with a towel before adding, ‘A few more days and I can take the bacta off.’  
When he had finished, Ben bid her goodnight and left her to it.  
Rey did not spend much more time in the bath. The bubbles had mostly vanished and the water was cooling down. Stepping out, she quickly dried herself on a warm, fluffy towel and, wrapping herself in it, went to find her bedroom. Ben had taken one of them, leaving the second door ajar. Going in, she found the largest bed she had ever seen. Big enough to fit three sleepers, it was covered in more blankets and sheets than she would ever need, along with four plump pillows. Laid out on top was a set of deep purple pyjamas. Picking them up, she found they were made of a soft, silky material, quite different to the well-worn ones she had left behind on Ajan Kloss. Getting ready, she went to wash her face and teeth, as well as have a final pee before bed. Picking up her clothes, she returned to her bedroom, leaving the pile on a nearby chair. She was too tired to fold them neatly like she usually did.  
Climbing onto the bed, Rey was not surprised to find that it was supremely comfortable, firm without being too hard. The blankets were soft and cosy. The silky pyjamas felt nice against her skin. Everything was perfect but ultimately spoiled by what she knew about the history of the city. She was beginning to understand why organisations such as the Empire and the First Order wanted their supporters in the Core Worlds to be ignorant of where their comforts really came from.  
Trying to sleep, she tossed and turned, unable to relax her mind. Perhaps it would have been better if she had fallen asleep in the bath? Words and ideas that had accumulated over the day kept coming back to her. The beings’ treatment of her, the utter dismissal of females and humans, their rampant destruction of their planet. The more she thought about it, the more her anger increased, and the more she wanted to do something to bring the entire rotten edifice down.  
Can’t you sleep? Ben’s voice intruded into her thoughts, even though he was just next door.  
No.  
Neither can I.  
What are you thinking about?  
In the next moment, her door opened softly and Ben came in. He looked weary but was too agitated to sleep. ‘Everything is too perfect here.’  
‘But rotten underneath.’ Clearly they had been thinking about the same thing. Now that they had accepted each other, and their connection as a dyad, sometimes it was as though they had become of one mind. Albeit a mind that had two very different personalities controlling it.  
‘We need to do something about it,’ Ben sighed, coming to sit on the bed next to her.  
‘But what?’ mused Rey, leaning back against the pillows. Although she was meant to be thinking about their situation, she couldn’t help being distracted by Ben. Looking at him, she realised that most of the time, she focused on his eyes, eyes that had once belied the expressionless face of Kylo Ren. Now she studied him as much as she dared whilst he was talking, seeing the resemblance to his parents in his features that together created a face that was striking and sensitive, framed by thick waves of dark hair. Not for the first time, she realised how beautiful he was.  
‘I don’t know.’ He regarded her thoughtfully. ‘Perhaps tomorrow will bring some inspiration?’  
‘We could try to get the humans on side,’ she suggested, ‘tell them the truth about their situation.’  
‘Like Finn and Rose are doing with the stormtroopers?’ Ben was trying to bite a loose piece of nail away from his finger. He had caught it on the door handle, ripping most of it off. But it was still hanging on, impervious to his teeth.  
‘Yes.’ Hearing their names made her feel sad that she had no idea where her friends were or what they were doing.  
‘Hmm,’ Ben mulled it over. ‘But they probably know the truth of what is happening here already. The Overseers parade their supposed superiority right in front of them.’  
‘Right.’ Rey thought for a moment. ‘But what if we were able to give them the means to escape?’  
‘That might work.’ Ben nodded, ‘They must think they are trapped here by the nebula. And I imagine the Snokes want to keep it that way.’  
‘The Snokes?’ Rey could not help laughing at his name for them.  
‘Why not?’ He was pleased that he had given her a reason to smile. It brightened up her face, as well as revealing her dimples, and he loved to see the change in her. Most of the time they had precious little to laugh about. ‘Anyway, I’m going back to bed. I’m sure the Overseer will want to see us bright and early in the morning.’  
As he made to get up, Rey put her hand on his arm. ‘Stay with me.’ She knew that she would sleep better with him next to her. For some reason, his proximity seemed to keep away the usual fears and insecurities that haunted her at night.  
‘You’re sure?’ When she nodded, he climbed into bed beside her, making himself comfortable within the blankets. ‘Sleep well.’  
I will with you here. Reaching out, Rey fumbled for his hand, pleased when his fingers curled around hers, holding her hand against his chest. She felt his heartbeat, reminding her that he was close. ‘Night.’


	32. Hux outlines his strategy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newly installed in his grand offices on Coruscant, Hux meets with General Quinn to find out the state of the galaxy before he speaks to the rest of the High Command. Hux is determined to undo the mistakes made by Kylo Ren and take the First Order into a new era of greatness, following Snoke's original plans.

Supreme Leader Armitage Hux stared out of the long, ceiling height window that dominated one entire wall of the former Chancellor’s office on Coruscant. Before him, the city stretched out, semi-ruinous, slowly returning to its former glory as the building works continued apace under his leadership. Tall cranes reached into the blue skies behind the remains of the Jedi Temple, the only building that Hux had commanded would stay a ruin, as a reminder of the arrogance and hubris of the warmongering Jedi Order. The Order that had tried to execute the rightful Chancellor of the Republic in the very room he stood in, an act of violence that had ironically ushered in the greatest period of stability and peace that the galaxy had ever known.   
Unsurprisingly, Hux hated the Jedi and everything they stood for, particularly the wishy-washy belief that an invisible energy source could determine the fate of the galaxy. To his scientific and technologically-minded brain, relying on base and primitive instinct was the worst idea that had ever been advanced as the basis for power and influence, such as that wielded by the Jedi. It only resulted in warriors such as Kylo Ren, an over-emotional, conflicted mess at the best of times, or Snoke, who used his command of the Force to humiliate and abuse his subordinates, a trait that he had passed onto Ren. But Hux had plans that would make sure that no Force sensitive being would ever get the better of him again.   
Leaving the window, Hux went over to the large, sweeping desk that dominated the far end of the room. It was the same desk that Chancellors of the Republic had sat at for hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years. He ran his hand along the wood briefly, seeing the scars and damage inflicted by the many years of rioting and rebellion that had characterised the former capital since the collapse of the Empire. Ren had taken a risk by basing the First Order’s nascent headquarters here, but it was a risk that had paid off. Perhaps the only strategy of Ren’s that Hux actually agreed with. Hux didn’t mind that the building was still part ruined, or that the statues that once graced the office were damaged and broken. He liked the symbolism. The First Order had risen up from the ashes of the Empire, and now he was taking back what was rightfully theirs.  
But first there was the matter of the Resistance, an annoyance that should have been got rid of by now. As Hux had once complained to Captain Peavey, what was the point of all their military might and supremacy if they could not defeat the puny Resistance? The weak link had turned out to be Kylo Ren, with his strange obsession with the scavenger and inability to completely destroy his mother’s cause, despite appearing to loathe it. And now, thanks to Ren, the Resistance was at large once more after escaping from Ajan Kloss. Sighing, Hux picked up one of the many data-pads that littered the desk. It was not good news. Maintaining security and peace was an expensive business and despite the significant resources of the First Order, most of them were tied up in subduing the more rebellious systems - Naboo, Coruscant, Kijimi. The shipyards on Kuat were working hard to compensate but as he went on to read, many of the new prototypes were running behind schedule because of some technical specifications that were not working as well as the developers had promised.  
The doors to the office opened and General Quinn strode in, looking around him with interest. ‘You wanted to speak to me before the meeting?’  
‘Yes.’ Hux put the data-pad down, the problem of resources was an issue he was going to have to tackle with the High Command. ‘I need an overview of the situation,’ he demanded, ‘without having to read all of these.’ He swept his hand across the pile of data-pads.  
‘To be blunt, it’s not looking good,’ said Quinn. ‘Griss has been unable to trace the Resistance after they managed to evade our tracking system. Kijimi has collapsed into chaos, and the garrison there is desperate for reinforcements, which is proving tricky as troops are needed elsewhere. The Queen of Naboo has managed to escape, goodness knows how, although this has given us the pretext for taking Naboo firmly under our control. But with every positive comes a negative, I’m afraid. It seems that more systems will follow suit in attempting to force our hand.’  
‘Corellia?’  
‘Yes, Corellia, Mon Cala and Cato Neimoidia.’ Trouble was brewing on all of these planets.  
‘It seems that rebellion is catching,’ said Hux sourly, going back over to the window. ‘Did you know, General, that Jedi Master Mace Windu fell from this very window after trying to murder Chancellor Palpatine?’  
‘No I did not.’ Quinn wondered what point Hux was trying to make.  
‘The Chancellor was saved by Anakin Skywalker, just in the nick of time so Sloane told me. It was in this very room that he became Darth Vader, loyal servant of the Empire. It seems strange to me that another Skywalker might undo all of his good work.’  
‘I am aware of the story of Luke Skywalker,’ snapped Quinn, wondering what Hux was going on about.  
‘I didn’t mean Luke Skywalker,’ corrected Hux, staring at the streams of traffic that were making their way around the skyways, ‘I mean his grandson, Ben Solo.’  
‘Ben Solo?’ Quinn looked confused.  
‘Otherwise known as Kylo Ren,’ said Hux crossly, wishing Quinn would pay more attention in meetings. ‘The son of that pretend princess, Leia Organa, and work-shy criminal, Han Solo. Grandson of Anakin Skywalker.’ Losing his train of thought, Hux tried to get back to the point of his musings. ‘What I am saying is that it took years of patient, hard work for Palpatine to create the Empire, and less than thirty years for the Rebellion to bring it down. We must ensure that our Empire is stronger, able to withstand any assault that is thrown at it. We know the mistakes that the Emperor made, we must ensure that we do not repeat them.’  
‘Absolutely,’ agreed Quinn, finally understanding what Hux was getting at. ‘Including the destruction of Kylo Ren and that scavenger he is in thrall to.’  
‘And not just them,’ said Hux decisively, staring at the ruins of the Jedi Temple across the plaza. ‘Anyone who is Force sensitive must be found and destroyed. They are a scourge on the galaxy.’  
Quinn nodded, ‘Speaking of which, Engell has some interesting data to show that Force sensitivity can be a significant block to the stormtrooper programming. As we had begun to suspect.’  
‘Go on,’ Hux turned back to him, interested.  
‘I am sure she will explain it in more detail, but there is a correlation between high midichlorian count and the tendency to defect.’  
‘Interesting,’ muttered Hux, picking up a data-pad with reams of numbers displayed on the screen. A database of those stormtroopers which had defected and their midichlorian counts. ‘And to think that we used that same information to create our Elite squad.’  
‘But I thought that they were programmed not to defect?’ frowned Quinn, trying to remember what Hux had told him.  
‘It’s been built into their training,’ said Hux, a strange smile creeping over his face. ‘We updated the programmes that produced Snoke’s Praetorian guards, which were an early attempt to test the reliability of my father’s idea that the Force could be used to create the ultimate warrior.’  
‘Isn’t that what Snoke was doing with Kylo Ren?’  
‘To some extent, yes,’ agreed Hux, scratching at a patch of dry skin on his neck where it was caught by his collar. ‘Snoke believed that harnessing the light and the dark would give Kylo greater power, although he quickly ditched that idea when it became clear how unstable Ren actually was.’  
‘But it didn’t work with the Praetorian Guards either,’ grumbled Quinn, wishing that Hux was more thoughtful to offer him a drink. He was desperate for a tea. ‘Otherwise your father would have produced more of them.’  
‘You’re right,’ Hux nodded, ‘at least for the earlier prototypes. Despite their powers not being as fully realised as Ren’s, it still required a significant containment system, which was built into their armour. The, shall we say, unpredictability of Force users also made it difficult to implement on a larger scale.’  
‘Indeed.’ Quinn remembered the volatile nature of Kylo Ren and needed no more explanation.  
‘But hopefully, we have overcome those issues with our new approach.’  
There was a knock on the door, and looking over, Hux saw one of his aides waiting timidly outside. ‘Come in.’  
The young man came in, trying to look and sound confident. ’Supreme Leader, the High Command are ready for you.’  
‘Excellent.’ Drawing himself up to his full height, Hux indicated that Quinn should accompany him. ‘Shall we?’  
Leaving the office, Hux marched along the corridor, followed by Quinn. Here, the building was drab and dreary, the coverings peeling off the walls, blaster holes and other signs of damage stemming from the fierce battles that had been fought between the remnants of the Empire and the forces of the New Republic. Rooms lay abandoned, empty and filled with trash, waiting for their extensive overhaul. So far, the lower levels of the former Senate building had been restored to their former glory, as well as the Chancellor’s office, and that was where Hux was meeting the High Command. Regular patrols ensured their safety, and outside several AT-M6 and UT-AA walkers were patrolling the plaza, all of it overshadowed by the ring of Star Destroyers that protected the planet.   
As they walked, Hux made it clear to Quinn what he wanted to get from the meeting. ‘We need them to agree on the need for more resources. Everything we have must be thrown at bringing all rebellious systems back into line and destroying the Resistance once and for all. Until then, we cannot proceed with our plans for expansion.’  
‘Agreed. We must also undo the damage done by Kylo Ren.’  
‘That goes without saying,’ frowned Hux, annoyed that his hated rival was still dictating strategy even though he was long gone.  
Eventually they reached the meeting room, which had once been used by senators of the former Republic. There was little furniture within the room; the large meeting table had been brought down from the Steadfast, and there were some couches in the far corner for relaxation purposes, along with a drinks machine. Technology had been installed so that the High Command could take part in meetings from wherever they were based across the galaxy. When Hux entered, he found the members of the High Command that were on Coruscant drinking cups of tea and chatting idly about various subjects. But they snapped to attention as soon as they saw him, and made their way to their seats.  
‘Let’s begin, shall we,’ said Hux pleasantly, preferring to stand next to the projector rather than take a seat. He glanced around the table, pleased to see that Griss, Parnadee and Engell were present in hologram form, beamed in from their respective ships. Although Hux had sought to make a clean break from the strategy of his predecessor, in reality he had made very few changes to the High Command incorporated by Kylo Ren. Only Allegiant General Pryde and Captain Peavey had been added by Hux; the former had been recalled from his position in the Unknown Regions as soon as Intelligence had located him, where he had been stationed by Snoke, and the latter because Hux had remembered the officer’s loyalty and support during the destruction of the Supremacy.   
‘As you know,’ Hux began, clearing his throat, ‘since the departure of Kylo Ren we have faced unprecedented challenges in containing the uprisings that started during the short period of his rule. He has left, to put it mildly, a chaotic situation. One of the issues that has hampered us immensely is the tying up of resources on planets such as Kijimi and Naboo, which really should have been brought to heel much sooner. However, steps have been taken to ensure that the trouble within these systems will be contained very soon. General Quinn also assures me that you all agree on our forward strategy; that we must concentrate our resources on stamping out all dissent, including the destruction of the Resistance, before taking the First Order into its next, glorious stage.’  
There were general murmurs of agreement from around the table.  
‘Admiral Griss, please tell us about the current situation on Naboo,’ commanded Hux; it had been the site of most tension, as well as use of resources, and he was eager to see that it had finally been contained.  
‘Supreme Leader,’ said Griss’s hologram, ‘now that we have taken over the planet of Naboo in the name of the First Order, we have noticed an immediate reduction in tension. It seems that the people have finally got the message that if they step out of line, we will clamp down twice as hard.’  
‘Perhaps this is a strategy that we could repeat with other rebellious systems?’ suggested Peavey, ‘replace their traditional systems of government with a council that is run by the First Order.’  
‘That might work on systems such as Naboo,’ Hux pointed out, ‘but not on Kijimi where there is no recognised system of government we could replace.’  
‘Perhaps I was being too literal, Supreme Leader,’ said Peavey obsequiously, ‘I meant we could install our own system of government wherever it was needed, not only on Naboo. It could even form the beginnings of a galaxy-wide system of control, a central council where each planet is led by representatives of the First Order.’  
Hux mulled it over. It was certainly a more stable approach than at present, with the possibility of using it to ensure better flow of resources and recruits to the fleet and the military. ‘Find out how best we could implement such a system and return the plan to me tomorrow.’  
It was short notice but Peavey nodded dutifully, he would have to find a way to complete the task around his other duties. Fortunately it was similar in scope, if not in intention, to the plans for governance initiated by Kylo Ren, some tweaking here and there would make it appear to be a completely new idea.  
‘Excellent.’ Hux folded his arms behind his back, ‘If you remember, in our last meeting we discussed the issue of desertion and how there appeared to be a connection between Force sensitivity and refusal to carry out essential military duties. General Engell, I believe that you have done some research in this area?’  
‘Indeed, Supreme Leader,’ said Engell brightly, picking up her data-pad. ‘We surveyed all the troops that have defected from the First Order since our illustrious leader Snoke led us to victory over the Republic. We found that there was a correlation between high midichlorian count and the likelihood of defection of 0.85.’  
There were excited murmurs around the table, it was an incredibly high association.  
‘It suggests that Force sensitivity is the chief cause of desertion,’ explained Engell, ‘rather than a breakdown in programming per se. In other words, it seems that a high sensitivity in the Force causes the programming to break down. Programming can be affected without sensitivity in the Force, but there is a far weaker relationship between that and defection.’  
‘So, am I correct in thinking,’ asked Allegiant General Pryde, his voice smooth and supercilious, ‘that Force sensitivity causes the programming to break down.’  
‘That is correct,’ agreed Engell. ‘Our examination of the evidence suggests that a breakdown in programming is fairly random, unless the individual is Force sensitive. Then, it tends to occur when the recruit has been asked to serve on the battlefield.’  
‘Interesting,’ said Pryde. He turned to Hux, ‘It seems fairly obvious that a cull of Force sensitive recruits is necessary. They cannot be relied upon.’  
‘Indeed, I was about to say,’ said Hux grandly, ‘that in lieu of these findings, we must carry out a systematic weeding out of troops that have a high midichlorian count.’ He turned back to Engell, ‘Is there any indication of what a high midichlorian count might be?’  
‘Certainly,’ said Engell, ‘anything over 10,000 seems to indicate a higher than usual sensitivity to the Force. The highest amount ever recorded was over 20,000.’  
‘Who was that?’ asked Hux in disbelief.  
‘Anakin Skywalker, according to the records of the Jedi Temple,’ said Engell, glancing at her data-pad.  
‘The Skywalkers again,’ frowned Hux, ‘will this galaxy ever be free of that accused family?’  
The rest of the High Command treated it as a rhetorical question, although they knew full well that the heir of Skywalker was still at large, vanished into the ether. So far their efforts to find him had failed.  
‘Anyway, returning to the main point, we must weed out all recruits with unusually high midichlorian counts and monitor them closely. We cannot afford at the present time to remove them completely, but once our new recruits come on line then we can begin the process of replacement.’ He looked back at Engell, ‘Are the systems in place for closer monitoring?’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader,’ said Engell, moving through the information on her data-pad. ‘We are aiming to move all such recruits away from the front-line where possible. Where it is not possible, we have implemented more rigorous checks to ensure that their programming is not compromised.’  
‘Good - monitor the situation and keep me updated.’ He glanced around the room, ‘Once the planetary councils are implemented, we shall make a greater effort to weed out all Force sensitives across the galaxy. As we have seen with the actions of the Jedi and the Sith throughout history, such individuals are highly dangerous to peace and stability.’  
‘How would we control such a scheme, Supreme Leader?’ asked Griss with great concern, ‘it would require a huge amount of resources and administration to implement, surely taking those resources away from where they are needed most?’  
‘I disagree,’ said Quinn, who liked the idea. ‘At the least it would mean a simple midichlorian test at birth. Any child falling into a particular range would be removed from their parents.’  
‘And what would we do with these children?’ demanded Griss. ‘As Engell has already pointed out, there is a strong disadvantage to enrolling Force sensitives on our recruitment programmes because of the danger of desertion.’  
‘Yet it makes sense to keep them within our control,’ suggested Engell, ‘where we can contain them, and use them for our own purposes.’  
‘Perhaps there is even a way of reducing their midichlorian count?’ said Quinn thoughtfully, ‘Has such a thing ever been attempted?’  
‘Not to my knowledge, no,’ admitted Engell, ‘but it is a very good suggestion. I shall look into it.’  
‘Please do,’ said Hux, seeing that the meeting was degenerating into an unfocused conversation; it was an interesting one but he had a deadline to keep to. ‘Put together a list of possibilities around the potential use, or not, of Force sensitives in our fleets and in our military. List all the potential benefits and pitfalls.’  
‘Certainly, Supreme Leader.’ Engell made a note on her data-pad.  
‘Speaking of Force sensitives, Supreme Leader,’ said Griss politely, ‘has there been any development on the whereabouts of Kylo Ren and the scavenger? If anyone is seeking to train new Force users, it will be those two.’  
Hux looked over to Quinn, who shook his head. ‘The last sighting we had was your’s, Griss, when you encountered Ren’s TIE. Since then, both of them appear to have vanished.’  
‘Increase the bounty on both of them,’ said Hux, annoyed that Ren and the scavenger were still managing to evade their grasp. ‘And keep all networks informed. It’s likely that they are connected to the Resistance, so if we find one, we’re bound to find the other.’  
‘With respect, Supreme Leader, the bounty on their heads is already considerable,’ said Allegiant General Pryde. ‘Perhaps a more, controlled approach is needed?’  
Hux had to concede that Pryde had a point. ‘Look into how we might capture them, dead or alive. There are plenty of bounty hunters who might be tempted.’ As Pryde inclined his head, Hux glanced around the room. ’Before I move onto other matters, does anyone have any more questions or matters to raise?’ When no one spoke, Hux moved onto his next point. ’Before I talk about our future strategy, I have two further points to make. We have finally finished cataloguing everything that belonged to the traitorous Ren. Amongst all the dross, we found repeated references to Snoke’s origins within the Unknown Regions, namely a planet called Exegol.’  
‘Exegol?’ said Quinn in confusion.  
Hux gestured towards General Pryde, ‘Pryde here was tasked by Snoke with keeping its location a secret, a project that was uncovered by Kylo Ren not long before we forced him out.’  
‘So he did have his uses,’ murmured Griss, still uncertain about the changeover of leader.  
’It’s not a well-known planet,’ explained Pryde. He was a tall, older man with greying hair, his careworn face both arrogant and learned at the same time. ‘It is on the outer fringes of the Unknown Regions, protected by a nebula that makes it very difficult to either get to, or leave, the system without the precise co-ordinates.’  
‘Indeed,’ said Hux, ‘but we have found the co-ordinates, secreted away in my father’s archive.’  
‘Didn’t you accompany Admiral Sloane into the Unknown Regions?’ frowned Griss, wondering why Hux had not heard of the planet before. ‘Surely you would have known about Exegol?’  
‘I did go with my father,’ said Hux distantly, ‘but I was not party to any high level information at that time. I was a mere child. But, even so Snoke purposefully kept whatever is on Exegol a secret. Anyone who knew about it was eventually disposed of, including Sloane and my father.’  
‘It makes us wonder what is there,’ said Parnadee, to murmurs of general agreement from the High Command.  
‘Snoke was always very secretive about the origins of the First Order,’ said Quinn, clasping his hands together on the table in front of him. ‘It is not surprising that we find ourselves in the dark about its true history.’  
‘There were very good reasons for that,’ opined Pryde, who despite his air of authority on the subject, was no more knowledgable about what was on Exegol than the rest of the High Command. ‘Our task on the Indomitable was to ensure that no one ever found its location.’  
‘And you proved very effective at it,’ said Hux with a faint smile, ‘But this is not a history lesson. We need to go to Exegol and uncover its importance to the First Order. It may be that there are additional resources available to us, resources that we desperately need. Or we may find the answers there to Snoke’s dark side power. I recommend sending out an expeditionary fleet to Exegol immediately.’  
The High Command concurred, agreeing it was a matter of urgency.   
‘Supreme Leader,’ said Pryde, a rare note of subservience in his voice. ‘I would be very honoured to lead this expedition to Exegol, if you would allow it.’  
‘I will consider it,’ agreed Hux, who had already thought about sending Quinn. He was not sure if he trusted Pryde, who had grown arrogant in his isolation, stuffed with the importance of his secret mission.  
‘My concern is Kylo Ren’s knowledge of the existence of Exegol,’ said Griss, wanting the High Command to remember that it was their former leader who had first discovered its importance. ‘It might be that he is looking for it himself. To claim its potential resources, or to look for the source of Snoke’s power…’  
‘Or for the Resistance,’ said Griss, considering that Ren’s ship had been seen in connection with their assault on the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss.  
‘You make a good point,’ said Hux, realising that he needed to get a move on if he was to claim Exegol for the First Order. ‘I will make the decision on who will lead the mission to Exegol my priority after this meeting has been adjourned.’  
Both Pryde and Quinn inclined their heads, secretly glaring at each other across the table.  
‘And so to our future strategy,’ continued Hux, finally getting to the most exciting part of the meeting as far as he was concerned. ‘Examining the archive that Ren found on Mustafar revealed that part of Snoke’s plan for the First Order was to explore outside of the known galaxy. To conquer other systems unknown to us now and enable the discovery of new resources that could advance our technology in ways unknown.’  
There was a murmur of interest and enthusiasm from around the table. This was what they wanted to hear, new ideas and potential new developments. Future expansion outside of the known galaxy rather than focusing on complicated problems such as slavery and criminal activity that had aways been part of the culture of the Mid and Outer Rims and always would be.  
‘I have established a team to explore potential developments in ship design that will enable travel between the galaxies,’ said Hux, pleased to see that his plans were well received. ‘We need technologies that will enable us to travel distances of millions of light years. Researchers tell me that there are endless possibilities if only we can harness phenomena such as black holes and other anomalies. It is only the frailty of the human body that will potentially hold us back, and to that end I have plans to establish a training facility on Coruscant that will explore the impact of long-term space travel upon the bodies of humans and other species, as well as looking at the potential for hibernation and other forms of suspending life for the longer journeys.’  
After the other bad news, the High Command were more than satisfied with Hux’s plans for the future, and even gave him a round of applause.  
Pleased, Hux dismissed his senior officers from the meeting, going over to the window whilst they filed out, returning to their important duties. As he stood looking out at the view, he remembered how his father had said he would never amount to anything. ‘Too weak am I?’ he murmured to himself, ‘too stupid?’ He would show his father and anyone who doubted him, including Ren, and even Snoke to some extent, that he would be the one to take the First Order in a brave new direction. One that would break across the frontiers of the known galaxy, to find, and explore, new worlds. He would be the one to take the First Order into a new phase, a phase that would see it last longer than the Empire.


	33. Hiding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiding out on Bothawui, Poe plans his strategy against the First Order. With Ben and Rey on Exegol, and Lando and Chewbacca in the Outer Rim, it is a matter of waiting for the right time to strike. He also reveals to Finn that he wants to make him a General, honouring his leadership ability and the importance of his strategy to turn the 'Lost Children.'

Finding a safe position to hide the Resistance fleet near enough to Coruscant had created a headache for Poe, but eventually with the help of his team, he had settled on Bothawui. A mid-sized planet in the Mid Rim, far enough away from Coruscant not to draw notice but close enough to enable them to have a better grasp of First Order strategy. Bothawui was of little strategic, or resource, importance and had been left alone during the occupation of the galaxy by the First Order. A temperate planet, it was surrounded by a ring of ice, dust and rock fragments, the remnants of another planet that had been pulled into its orbit millions of years before and shattered before impact. The rings provided an ideal hideout for the fleet, sheltering between and among the larger chunks of rock.  
On board the Organa, Poe was on the bridge, examining the latest data packet from a team of tenacious Bothan spies that had managed to infiltrate one of the First Order’s communication channels with the support of the Master Codebreaker. Since Tym’s experience on Coruscant with Finn and Rose, he had thrown his lot in with the Resistance, not going so far as to join them but pledging his help and support in any way that he could. Maz’s expression when she had contacted Poe to tell him of the Master Codebreaker’s decision had been a picture. Even in her very long life, she admitted that she had never seen such a turnaround in someone’s character before. But it was another unexpected turn in a time full of them, and Poe had been quick to tell Maz about Ben Solo’s return to the light, something which had startled Maz all the more.  
‘What a time to be alive,’ she had muttered, before the call to her beautiful home planet of Takodana had ended.  
As he read through the data, it left a sour taste in his mouth. There were two policies of the First Order that stood out to him as particularly divisive. The first was that the First Order seemed to be planning to abolish all independent systems of planetary rule and governance, replacing each and every one with a council of representatives of the First Order, including those planets which traditionally had no central government. To Poe this seemed a recipe for disaster but perhaps that was the point; it would push all systems to breaking point, giving Hux and the High Command an excuse to clamp down even harder. Even worse was the prospect of a cull of Force sensitive beings in a bid to diminish the power of the Force within the galaxy. It was interesting to see that there was a link between the defection of stormtroopers and a high midichlorian count, but he could not see how that had given rise to the plan to destroy all Force users. Perhaps there was something more sinister at play, a bid to meddle with the foundations of life itself?  
‘But where are all the resources coming from to do this?’ Poe murmured to himself, a question that had not yet been answered by their investigation into the First Order. That had always been his main concern, trying to find out where the First Order obtained its fleets, and its seemingly endless supply of money to pay for new ships and weapons. Yet the organisation kept its monetary affairs locked up tight, to the point of obsessive secrecy. Talking to Ben had revealed the role of the crime syndicates in supporting the First Order, and there was clearly some link with the plentiful resources of the former Empire, but as Ben had admitted, it was not the full picture that they needed. He hoped that Exegol would turn out to be more important than he had thought, and some initial information from Ben and Rey seemed to be pointing in the right direction.  
‘How’s it going?’  
The voice startled him out of his concentration, and Poe looked up to see Finn had come onto the bridge. Immediately he put the data-pad down, a mixture of confusion and elation overwhelming him. ‘Finn!’  
They fell into a affectionate embrace, holding each other for slightly longer than was necessary. Surrounded by his friend’s love, Finn closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of Poe’s breath on his neck, and tight clasp of his hand on his shoulder. It was all he needed to feel wanted.  
‘What are you doing here?’  
‘Rose said you wanted to see us,’ said Finn gently, when Poe finally let him go.  
‘I did?’ It took him a moment for his tired brain to register that indeed yes, he had requested that Finn and Rose come over to the ship for a briefing.  
‘You did.’ Finn reassured him that he was not making things up.  
‘I did.’  
‘You need a good rest, buddy.’ Finn gazed at him with concern, he did not need his Force sensitivity to see that Poe was not getting enough sleep. His handsome eyes were dull, large shadows marring their beauty. Several days of growth marked his usually clean-shaven chin. ‘Even Leia knew the benefits of getting some sleep every now and then.’  
‘I know, I know,’ agreed Poe, rubbing his eyes, ‘but everything’s happening so quickly. There’s no time to breathe, let alone rest.’  
‘Then you need more help,’ Finn pointed out, looking around the bridge to see that the Organa was operating on a very reduced staff. There was Poe, D’Arcy, Chiree and Connix, along wth three more technicians and operatives that rotated on a daily basis. ‘You haven’t appointed a second-in-command yet.’  
‘No, I haven’t.’ In the rush to leave Ajan Kloss, he had forgotten that it had been one of his intentions. Biting his lower lip, he said to Finn, ‘Well, how would you like to be promoted, General Danu?’  
‘What?’ Pleased and confused, Finn wondered if Poe had lost his senses. ‘I wasn’t fishing for anything.’  
‘I know,’ smiled Poe, patting his friend on the arm. ‘Don’t worry, I’ve been thinking about doing this for a long time. I need you at my side, Finn. You’ve more than proved yourself capable of being a leader and making decisions that will make a difference to the galaxy, not just for the Resistance. And not just that, you’ve shown loyalty and deep commitment to our cause.’  
Feeling humbled by his words, Finn thanked Poe for his belief in him. ‘And you can just do this - can you? Appoint me a general?’  
‘Well, there’s a procedure that we need to go through but for now my word will be enough.’ He smiled, the happiness invigorating his tired eyes; ‘I know that D’Arcy and Connix will agree with me.’  
‘I am very grateful.’  
‘I know you are.’  
‘But what about Rose? She’s been just as important as I have.’ He realised that even if Poe had been distant recently, the deep love and friendship that had been established between them was still there beneath the surface. He had not needed to worry.  
‘I’ve got something for Rose too,’ said Poe, impressed by Finn’s kindness and heart as always. ‘See, you’re always thinking about others before yourself. That’s what makes a true leader, as Leia showed us time and time again.’  
Although Leia was gone, her ideas and beliefs continued to permeate the Resistance in everything it did, and Finn knew that she would never be forgotten. He looked around the ship that bore her name. It was plain inside with few fancy bits or decoration, but it was strong and redoubtable. Just like Leia herself.  
‘I heard from Rey and Ben yesterday,’ Poe said casually as he glanced down at his notes.  
Finn’s senses immediately pricked up. ’How was she? Did she seem okay?’  
‘As far as I could tell, Rey was fine.’ he said, laughing at Finn’s eagerness to hear about their friend. ‘Although that wasn’t the reason I called.’  
‘Yeah, well, I know that,’ muttered Finn, embarrassed by his overwhelming concern for Rey.  
‘But they didn’t say much,’ Poe went on, ‘the line was terrible, probably because of the nebula.’  
‘What have they found out?’  
‘They’ve made contact with a race of beings called the Overseers, and it seems that Snoke was one of them. When the remnants of the Empire came to Exegol, he was chosen to lead the First Order, I think because he was strong in the dark side.’ Poe tried to remember what the main thrust had been of the scrambled conversation he’d had with the two Jedi. ‘It seems that the Overseers agreed to use their considerable resources to support the First Order in return for the promise of a new home planet.’  
‘A new home planet?’ It seemed an odd request for supporting what had been then the dying remnants of the Galactic Empire. ‘Not power or influence?’  
‘I couldn’t hear all of the conversation,’ admitted Poe, shrugging. ‘As I said, the line was terrible. But I’m sure Ben said it was because they’ve basically stripped Exegol of all its resources, some of it from helping the First Order.’  
‘So, some of their resources did come from Exegol?’  
‘It’s beginning to look that way,’ agreed Poe, scratching his head, ‘Ben and Rey are looking into it.’  
‘I’m just glad she’s okay.’ He was overjoyed to hear some news about his friend, he always missed Rey’s sunny optimism when she was elsewhere. ‘I do worry about her.’  
‘I know! But she’s got Ben with her.’  
Finn nodded, ‘Yeah, at least she’s not on her own this time.’  
Poe shook his head, wondering when Finn would realise that Rey was perfectly fine at looking after herself, even when she was on her own. ‘Anyway, it was nice to have a chat but we need to get back to business, General. This war won’t run itself.’  
Going over to the projector, Poe switched it on. After it had warmed up, he pressed a sequence of numbers to bring up a hologrammatic map of the galaxy.  
‘So, remind me of the plan?’ Finn looked over the map, seeing that particular flashpoints had been highlighted in red.  
‘We’re going to launch a two-pronged attack on Naboo and Coruscant,’ explained Poe, spelling it out for himself, as well as for Finn, ‘possibly with a few ships going to Kijimi, if we have them, under the command of Ben and Rey.’  
‘But they’re on Exegol,’ said Finn; this aspect of the plan was new to him, but he could see why Poe would want to target Kijimi as well. An attack on three targets would keep the resources of the First Order spread out, rather than giving them an opportunity to bring them together.  
‘At the moment, yes, but hopefully they’ll be back for when we need them.’ Poe paused to gather his scattered thoughts. ‘As you know, you and I will lead the assault on Coruscant, with Rose and Jannah, whilst Lando, Chewbacca and Prue will lead the relief of Naboo. Speaking of Lando, we’ve heard back from him too, they’ve made contact with the fleet in the Outer Rim.’  
‘Who was it?’  
‘A makeshift bunch of pirates, smugglers and other scoundrels who are fed up with the First Order,’ said Poe with a roguish grin, ‘led by Sidon Ithano and Kuimi Einissa, both pirates. Lando’s calling them the ‘unaffiliated’ but they’ve agreed to help us in return for immunity for their, er, criminal activity after the war.’  
‘And you agreed to that?’ asked Finn incredulously. Ben’s revelations about the connection between the First Order and criminal syndicates had been eye-opening, and, for some reason, Poe seemed to be accepting the same help for the Resistance.  
‘Not yet,’ Poe said, a little defensively. He knew it would not be a popular decision, but he was willing to make it to defeat the First Order. ‘I told Lando that we would need to agree it centrally first, but I think we should. We need all the help we can get.’  
Finn realised the difficult decisions that Poe was having to make, little wonder he looked so weary. ‘But Lando trusts them?’  
‘Yes, he goes way back with some of them, including their adopted leader, Sidon Ithano. Look, I know they’re criminals but they’re small-time criminals. Lando feels he can trust them, and I respect Lando’s thoughts on the matter.’  
‘Alright, alright,’ said Finn, seeking to reassure his friend, and leader, that he wasn’t trying to dispute his decision. ‘I just wanted to be sure, that you were sure.’  
‘I’m as sure as I will ever be,’ mused Poe, who was getting used to making decisions that had no real, definitive answer. ‘I think I feel more confident because we’re not seeking to destroy the fleet and it’s part of the bigger plan to encourage the stormtroopers to defect.’ He looked at Finn intently, ‘That’s the crux of everything, isn’t it? The rebellion? On Naboo, Coruscant and Kijimi. Finding the spark that will ignite it.’  
‘It is.’ He should have felt daunted but with all the hard work that he, Rose and Jannah had done, he felt confident that it was the right strategy. ‘Rose and I have have studied it from every possible angle,’ he said to Poe reassuringly, ‘and even if we only get half of the First Order defecting or refusing to fight, that should be enough for us to get the upper hand.’  
‘We also have to think about how we can capture the leadership,’ muttered Poe, remembering that it was on his list of things to do. ‘That would also give us some leverage.’  
‘Hux seems to have holed himself up on Coruscant according to the latest reports,’ said Finn conversationally. ‘As Ben said he would, he’s made the Chancellor’s office his base. Rose thinks that we should…’  
‘Hold on a minute,’ said Poe, suddenly realising that a critical person was missing from their discussion. ‘Where’s Rose got to?’  
‘She’s over there, with Connix.’ Finn was surprised that Poe had not noticed.  
Rubbing his eyes, Poe looked over to where Finn was indicating. ‘Right, there she is. Well, that’s good if you’ve got some strong ideas. We’ve only got one chance at this so we need to get it right.’  
‘No pressure then,’ grinned Finn, taking a data-pad out from his pocket. ‘We’ve been going through all the the information from the ex-stormtroopers on Naboo and Coruscant. What the defectors think will help their comrades to turn away from the First Order.’ The information he was carrying represented the many hours he and Rose had spent poring over the information, thinking of clever ways to alert the stormtroopers to the truth about their recruitment, and the way in which the First Order refused to tell them about their real lives, and real identity. ‘We’ve decided to concentrate on telling that they were stolen from their families, that they never had a chance to be the person that they were supposed to be. To drive it home that the First Order stole that opportunity away from them.’  
‘Sounds good,’ agreed Poe. ‘I think that such a message would resonate with me if I’d been denied the chance of knowing my real identity.’  
‘We need to get across to them that the First Order don’t care about them, they only care about winning the war,’ Finn went on, glancing down at his data-pad. ‘Phasma was ready to sell them out on Starkiller to save her cowardly hide. Hux cares more about himself when it comes down to it. They’re just cannon fodder to the High Command - not people.’  
‘That’s a powerful message,’ Poe agreed. ‘Now, all we have to do is find a way to broadcast it…’  
‘Rose has made some headway with that,’ said Finn quickly, looking over to where Rose was deep in conversation with Connix, their contrasting dark and blonde heads bent together over the computer terminal. ‘She’s almost into the First Order’s channels, including that emergency one which Ben mentioned, and we might also be able to hack into the HoloNet. Although we’re not sure we’ll reach many lost children that way.’  
‘Good.’ Making sure that he had his data-pad with him, Poe realised that time was advancing on steadily. He looked at Finn, ‘Right, let’s get everyone together for this meeting.’  
They gathered together as many members of the Resistance onto the bridge as possible, although with the number of ships strung out through Bothawui’s rings, in practice some attendees were there to represent their entire squad or team. With a command team consisting of Poe, D’Arcy, Chiree and Connix, supported by Rose and Finn, Poe had pretty much kept to the hierarchy established under Leia, but he had also been experimenting with different approaches. In particular he had been treating the entire Resistance membership as part of the wider decision-making team; rather than filtering down information to the lower ranks via the squadron leaders, he had made the entire process more democratic. Everyone, from the commanders to the technicians, was kept informed on their strategy, and was given the opportunity to have a say on it, knowing that they would be listened to. Although Leia had always been a democratic, and responsive, leader, Poe wanted this approach to be recognised as the norm. Chiefly so that mistakes like he had made on the Raddus with Admiral Holdo would never happen again.  
When the hubbub and noise had died down, Poe stood up to address the assembled crowd. ‘Thank you all for coming. I wanted to update you on what is happening and what we think will be happening in the next few days. Obviously, this is subject to change the more we find out about the First Order’s strategy, but for the time being it seems safe to say that they have not discovered our position.’ A few hands went up immediately and Poe asked if people could wait a few minutes to ask their questions, ‘Then I promise I will try to do them justice.’  
Turning to the projector, he indicated the map. ‘As you know, uprisings on Naboo and Kijimi have been brutally suppressed. Information is hard to get in and out because of the blockades, but as far as we know the uprisings on Kijimi have continued, although Naboo seems to be more subdued. The main focus of the First Order seems to be consolidating their hold on Coruscant, to use it as a base to then push out into the Outer Rim. Systems here have only given lip service to the First Order so far and its likely that Supreme Leader Hux will want more concrete evidence of support.’ He paused for a moment, to give more weight to what he was about to say. ‘I have just been given fresh evidence that the First Order plans to implement a galaxy-wide system of governance in order to assert its will more effectively. This involves councils of First Order representatives installed in every system, meant to replace all current forms of governance, including monarchies, the Techno Unions and so on.’  
There was a murmur of surprise from the assembled members. ‘That’s going to increase unrest surely,’ said Cassy Algara to her friend, Brenna.  
‘It’s likely that their strategy is going to increase unrest,’ said Poe, echoing the sentiments of many of those present. ‘Leading to more blockades and brutal crackdowns. But, it also presents us with an opportunity, to use the unrest to further our cause and make our attack.’  
‘When will that be?’ someone called out from the back of the room.  
‘The exact moment is as yet unknown,’ answered Poe, unable to see who had asked the question. ’But as you know, we’re building up to a two, maybe three pronged attack on Naboo, Coruscant and Kijimi that hinges on one clear strategy. Distracting the fleet whilst encouraging stormtroopers on the surface to rebel against the First Order. In this way, it will make the most of our limited resources at the same time as crippling the might of the First Order’s army.’ Turning to the projected map, he pressed a button to highlight the planet of Naboo. ‘Let’s focus on Naboo. Currently, it is surrounded by a blockade of Star Destroyers and a single Dreadnaught under the command of Admiral Griss. We have just heard back from General Calrissian who has made contact with a fleet of renegades who are wiling to help the assault on Naboo, as well as hopefully put him into contact with the exiled Queen.’  
‘Having the Queen as a figurehead for our cause on Naboo would be very powerful,’ said Threepio, as murmurs of agreement spread around the assembled group.  
‘It would, Threepio, it would,’ said Poe, turning back to the map. ‘We have to hope that the Queen agrees.’ With little more to add about Naboo, he looked over to where Finn and Rose were standing, ‘Finn, Rose. Would you please update us about the situation on Coruscant?’  
‘Certainly,’ said Finn, who was getting used to making impromptu speeches. ‘As Poe mentioned, the First Order has a sizeable military presence on Coruscant because of Hux’s focus on making it the centre of his new Empire.’ He looked to the projector, where a map of the city planet had appeared thanks to Rose. ‘As with Naboo, we have been keeping in contact with a community of defectors there. They have been monitoring the situation and keeping us informed, as well as reaching out to other stormtroopers in the hope of encouraging more to defect.’ He glanced over to Rose, ‘We’ve been working on how we can get across to them that the First Order have been lying to them their whole lives. They’re not killing machines, they’ve just never been given a chance to know their real identity.’  
‘We want them to know that they can turn to us, that we can help them find their families,’ added Rose. ‘I’m working on a series of short broadcasts that will help to get this message across to all members of the First Order. Hopefully we can broadcast these across their ships, and we’re working with one of the best hackers in the galaxy to make sure that this is possible.’  
There were ripples of interest and excitement around the room. Ever since they had first been introduced to the idea that members of the First Order’s military were ‘lost children’, there had been several crises of conscience amongst members of the Resistance about whether it was moral to destroy them, even in the name of peace. The strategy that Rose and Finn were working on seemed an excellent compromise, if they could pull it off.  
‘Getting into Coruscant will be the biggest challenge,’ continued Finn. ‘And it’s where we will have to concentrate most of our resources.’ He looked back over at Poe to indicate that he had finished.  
‘Thank you both for your contributions,’ said Poe. ‘One thing that we have to agree on is the appropriate response to recompensing our allies. Without any contact yet with the Queen of Naboo, I do not know what her conditions will be. However, the fleet of the unaffiliated have requested that their condition for supporting our attack on Naboo will be immunity for any criminal acts committed by themselves. We need to make a decision on this quickly - what are your thoughts?’  
As Finn had expected, this was a controversial request. For several minutes the questions came thick and fast, and Poe worked hard to answer them justly. As he might have suspected, there was some disagreement over what ‘criminal activities’ could be included under the definition, with some Resistance members making it very clear that they would not allow crimes connected to slavery or assassination to be part of the deal. In the end, after a long and intense discussion, Poe made a list of what types of ‘criminal activities’ would be allowed under a deal of immunity, something which he knew he would have to discuss with Lando before a final decision could be made. Thanking everyone for their contributions, he turned to Kijimi.  
‘Kijimi is a bit of an odd one,’ he admitted to the assembled group. ‘We’ve not managed to make any contacts with defectors here, and there is no central government to target, although I have a contact within a large syndicate of spice runners who operate out of the planet. We’re also missing a command team to lead the assault, although I’m hoping that our two Jedi warriors, Rey and Ben, will be able to take it on, once they return from Exegol.’  
‘Have you heard back from them yet?’ asked Beaumont Kin, interested to find out more about the situation on the mysterious planet.  
‘We have,’ replied Poe, glad to have something more positive to report. ‘They’ve made contact with a group known only as the Overseers, the same species that Snoke originated from. Rey and Ben need to find out more about what is going on there, but it does appear that the remains of the Empire went to Exegol after the Battle of Jakku, and the Overseers were instrumental to their reconfiguration into the First Order.’  
‘It seems that the First Order’s resources are starting to stretch a bit thin,’ said Connix, who had been examining the same data received from the Bothan spies. ‘So it might be that finding Exegol is high on their list of priorities.’  
‘Yes, it’s likely that Hux will be searching for new sources of funding,’ agreed Poe. ‘Whatever’s on Exegol, we might need to make a quick decision as to what we want Ben and Rey to do there.’  
The meeting was nearly over, and Poe could tell that people’s attention was beginning to wane. Luckily he had some positive news for the final minutes. ‘Thank you for listening so patiently. Finally, I’m going to do something that I should have done a while ago. Appoint a second-in-command to share leadership duties with me.’ Putting down his data-pad, he asked Finn to come and join him. ‘I’d like to, if you all agree to it, promote Finn to the position of General.’  
There was a gasp of surprise, and a spontaneous round of applause as Finn went over to join the rest of the command team. ‘I really am honoured,’ he said, smiling broadly.  
‘I think it’s important that a former stormtrooper, one of the lost children, leads and informs our strategy against the First Order,’ said Poe, ‘and Finn has been instrumental, along with Rose, in coming up with this plan of ours. So you can all blame them if it goes wrong.’  
There was a ripple of nervous laughter. Finn frowned at Poe.  
‘Not a good joke?’ Poe threw up his hands, ‘Anyway, as you know we like to include everyone in our decisions. We’re gonna have a vote to make sure that everyone agrees with the decisions we’ve made today. You know the drill.’  
As the assembled group went to make their vote, and conversation filled the command centre, Finn looked in askance at Poe. ‘You really need to work on your humour.’  
‘I know, I know,’ admitted Poe, running his hand through his hair. ‘I was thinking on my feet. Never a good thing.’  
They waited patiently until everyone had cast their vote, then, when the totals had been counted up, Poe was extremely pleased and delighted to announce that the majority had agreed with his decision about Finn. In fact, it was unanimous. ‘Congratulations, you are officially my second-in-command. Welcome to the team, General Danu.’  
Everyone clapped and Finn made a short speech about how far he had come since he and Poe had crash landed a TIE fighter together on Jakku. ‘My only thought in those early days was getting away from the First Order,’ he said, warm feelings swelling up inside his heart as he looked round at the faces of those he had come to regard as his family. ‘I never thought that I would find such love and companionship here, in the midst of a war. But I found it with the Resistance, and I’m proud that you’ve chosen me, a former stormtrooper, to be part of your command team.’  
Everyone clapped again and Finn stood back, returning the floor to Poe.  
‘I know it’s going to be hard, but we will all need to keep our optimism flowing in the forthcoming days,’ said their leader, his dark eyes sweeping around the room. ‘It’s not going to be an easy ride. We will be tested. The First Order is superior to us in every way; it has more resources, more people, more technology at its disposal. But we have hope. And we need to keep that hope alive in every way that we can.’  
As everyone dispersed, returning to their duties, Poe watched them go with a tremulous heart, wishing that he could believe in his own words more. Perhaps he needed more sleep, but despite all the efforts of his friends, and his team, he could not ignore the doubts gnawing away at him. Shaking his head to clear it, he followed Finn over to the projector, hoping that further discussion would help to convince himself that they were on the right track.


	34. Discovering the truth on Exegol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Overseer shows them around the shipyards of Exegol, Ben and Rey make a startling discovery - a fleet that has enough firepower to destroy the entire galaxy. Horrified, they try to convince Poe to send the Resistance fleet to destroy the ships but Poe reluctantly tells them it's not possible. Angry with Poe's decision, Ben harms himself, forcing Rey to realise that he's not quite as free of his self-hatred as she thought. Whilst Ben struggles with his deception as Kylo Ren, Rey is allowed more freedom to explore the city and she finds an interesting contact by the name of Kyp Dala, who turns out to be a woman determined to help humans to escape from Exegol. Their planet is dying but she is finding it difficult to convince the humans that they need to leave. When Rey returns to find Ben in an even worse state, they have a heart to heart, sharing many of their deepest, darkest secrets (which include implied abuse, sexual assault) which helps to get some difficult emotions out in the open.

As Ben had predicted, the Overseer arrived at their apartment early the following day. They were both sat reading books as the door opened without any warning, and the Overseer entered. He was wearing a variation on his robes of the previous day, this time dark green velvet fringed with light blue tassels. As he walked towards them, Ben was sure that he could see golden slippers on his feet. How like Snoke.  
‘We are glad to see that you are enjoying the books,’ he said, equally pleased with their efficiency.  
‘It’s a good selection,’ Ben lied, in reality they were only reading to impress the Overseer when he came in.  
No it’s not, put in Rey, this book is appalling.  
Don’t - you’ll put me off!  
‘And you like the apartment?’  
‘It’s lovely,’ replied Ben, wishing that Rey could help him out with the more banal aspects of the conversation. ‘Very comfortable.’  
You think I want to make small talk with a Snoke? Rey had decided that it was best for her to observe strict silence unless the Overseer directly asked her for an opinion. Which was unlikely considering his antipathy towards all females.  
That makes two of us.  
‘Good.’ The Overseer indicated that they should follow him and they headed out of the apartment and over to the landing platform where the Overseer’s speeder was waiting for them. Like the Overseer, the speeder was gaudily decorated. Even the controls were trimmed in gold. After they had climbed into the speeder and made themselves comfortable on the generous seat, the Overseer indicated two food parcels that had been placed there for them to eat. Opening up the parcel, Rey found several pancakes, pieces of fruit and a sticky sauce to go with it. It tasted wonderful although it proved difficult to eat as the speeder weaved in and out of the slow moving traffic. It took a while for them both to realise that they should wrap the pancake around the fruit, treating it as a filling. Laughing, the Overseer had to show them how it was done.  
‘We want you to see as much as possible today,’ said the Overseer pleasantly as the speeder entered into a part of the city they had not seen before. ‘We will take you to see our main ship-building facilities, as well as our local design offices. We think Snoke will be pleasantly surprised by what we have achieved since his departure.’ Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a data-pad and handed it to Ben after the younger man had finished wiping his hands. ‘We have prepared you this, so there is no need to worry yourself trying to remember all the details. Not only will it provide you with all the information we will go through with you today, it will also give you many useful images of our cities to show to your Master.’  
‘Thank you,’ said Ben politely, handing the data-pad to Rey so that she could stash it away inside her bag. This will be useful to show Poe.  
‘First we’ll visit the offices where the new designs are being prepared,’ said the Overseer as the speeder meandered its way through the heavy morning traffic. ‘We have recently come up with a new prototype Star Destroyer that I think Snoke will be very interested in.’  
Whilst the Overseer discussed with Ben the current specifications of the First Order’s fleet, Rey soon became bored and looked out over the edge of the speeder. Down below, she saw crowds of humans on the streets, looking like they were heading to work. Most were dressed in some kind of uniform consisting of plain tunics and pants, and the omnipresent facial gear to protect themselves from the pollution. The city itself was built over various levels, with walkways running between the buildings as well as at lower street level. There were shops selling all manner of items, places to eat and drink, what looked like temples, places that Rey had never known existed before. It was the first time that she had been to a city on this scale, and it reminded her of what Finn had told her about Coruscant.  
The huge pyramidal building at the heart of the city was soon looming in the distance, and, after the speeder had parked on the landing platform reserved for the Overseer, they headed inside. After more refreshments, the Overseer took them to the large offices they had seen when they first came into the building. Inside, rows upon rows of ‘Snokes’ sat at shiny, clean desks, working on new ideas and prototypes for ships and weapons. They walked along the rows of desks, the Overseer pointing out interesting things here and there. The workers were pleased to show Ben and Rey their designs, although Rey’s presence clearly caused more than a ripple of interest amongst the team. Whilst she was initially pleased to find out that it was not entirely hostile, she began to feel discomfited by the close attention that some of the workers bestowed upon her. Perhaps it was better, after all, to be despised and ignored?  
Are you okay? Ben noticed her discomfort.  
Yeah. Trying to shake it off, she moved closer to Ben, surreptitiously taking his hand as if greater proximity to him might ward off the unwanted interest. As their fingers entwined, she was surprised to find that he was shaking. What is it?  
There’s enough weaponry in this room to annihilate the entire galaxy.  
There was one particular design that the Overseer wanted them to take a look at. Leading them over to one of the larger desks, the Overseer introduced them to Worker J-0767, who was carefully adding specific details to a three-dimensional diagram of a type of Star Destroyer neither Ben or Rey had seen before.  
‘This is the Xyston-class Destroyer,’ said the Overseer, reverently. ‘It has been years in the making and has gobbled up a significant amount of our resources. But we think Snoke will be pleased to have these ships as part of his fleet. Worker RJ-0767, please describe its capabilities for our two guests.’  
‘Certainly.’ As he spoke, Worker RJ-0767 pointed out the ship’s attributes on the diagram. ‘It has 40 turbo laser batteries, 40 ion cannons, 40 laser cannons, 35 warhead launchers, 10 tractor beam projectors and, our main innovation, an axial super-laser capable of destroying a planet in one strike.’  
Rubbing his hand across his clammy forehead, Ben wondered if he had heard correctly. ‘Sorry, but did you say this ship has the ability to destroy a planet?’  
Listening to the details, Rey felt numb. Weaponry such as the Death Star and Starkiller had been destructive, yet slow and cumbersome to use. But this changed everything. A single laser on a ship that could travel rapidly at will through the galaxy. No one will stand a chance. No system will be safe.  
‘We did,’ said the Overseer, mistaking Ben’s incredulity for awe and wonder. ‘You will be pleased to know that production has already begun.’  
‘Two ships are nearly complete, and another forty units are in the later stages of production’ said Worker RJ-0767, obviously keen to impress the Overseer, ’with hundreds more in the initial stages of development.’  
Hundreds? Ben tried hard to keep his cool but he was struggling. The presence of these planet-destroying ships changed everything, giving the First Order the power to obliterate rebellious planets, further cowing the inhabitants of the galaxy and reducing the support that the Resistance had worked hard to build up over the past year. Glancing at Rey, he knew they shared the same thought. They had to make sure that this technology did not fall into the hands of Supreme Leader Hux.  
After an admittedly delicious lunch, the Overseer took them to one of the factories where the new Destroyers were being produced. After a tour of the factory and the shipyards above, a demonstration was put on for them of the new technology. As Ben and Rey watched from behind a large, protective screen, a smaller, prototype version of the ship’s super-laser was used to incinerate a large area of wasteland close by. As the lasers hit the target, the ground was pulverised in an instant, reduced into millions upon millions of microscopic particles that dissipated into the sky, leaving behind a large crater.  
‘A superb demonstration, don’t you think?’ crowed the Overseer, glancing across at Ben to gauge his reaction.  
‘Snoke will be very impressed,’ Ben forced himself to say. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him and had to steady himself. ‘Having this technology at his disposal will certainly bring all rebellious systems to heal.’  
‘Are there many systems that seek to dispute the rule of the First Order?’ the Overseer asked him, as they returned to the speeder after a look inside several more of the prototypes. Rey trailed behind Ben, horrified by what she had been witness to; her silence, for once, was real.  
‘A few, mostly in the untamed Outer Rim,’ replied Ben, still fighting the feelings of nausea that intermittently washed over him. ‘We have also been troubled by the Resistance, a small band of rebels and traitors that refuse to accept the First Order’s rightful replacement of the former government.’  
‘They desire a return to the Republic?’  
‘They do.’  
The Overseer was quiet for a moment. ‘Then our ships cannot have come at a better time for Snoke. If an Emperor as great as Palpatine can be brought down by rebels and traitors, he is in need of our help.’  
Ben nodded. ‘I assure you, he will be very grateful for your gift to him.’  
Behind them, Rey struggled to contain her feelings. Hearing Ben talk to the Overseer in such a calm, authoritative way reminded her of her early experiences with Kylo Ren and it struck her how easily Ben could slip into the person he had tried hard to be under Snoke’s guidance.  
After receiving an urgent message from an aide, the Overseer regretfully said that he needed to return to his office for the rest of the afternoon. ‘There is still much more to show you, but we shall have to return another day.’  
‘That is a shame,’ lied Ben, relieved. He glanced over at Rey, We need to get hold of Poe as soon as we get back.  
The Overseer arranged for another transport to drop them off at their apartment, and they were thankfully spared any more tedious lectures on the journey back. The first thing Ben did when he entered the apartment, was to run into the bathroom and throw up. Unsure what to do or how to help, Rey stayed in the living room. At first she wondered if she should open the window to get some air, but she quickly perceived that the synthetic air in the apartment was better than anything outside had to offer. It was hard to escape the sound of Ben retching, so she went to find a book as a distraction. She found one about the lost landscapes of Exegol and tried to concentrate on reading it. It was only when she realised that she had read the same sentence three times that she noticed the noise had subsided in the bathroom.  
The toilet flushed, and Ben came out. ‘I wouldn’t go in there for a while,’ he said, shutting the door firmly behind him.  
Putting her book down, she watched as he came over and sat next to her on the couch. ‘Feeling better?’  
‘Not really.’ Although he had brushed his teeth twice, the acid from his stomach still lingered in his mouth, as did the feelings of horror stirred up by what they had seen. He didn’t know how to process them. Neither did Rey but once they started talking, the reality of what they had witnessed became clear. Enforced admiration on Ben’s part, and silence on Rey’s, was replaced by earnest discussion of everything that was wrong on Exegol, and they quickly realised that there was no question of what they must do. They had to encourage Poe to send the Resistance fleet to Exegol immediately, to destroy what was being produced here before the First Order learnt the truth.  
‘They already know Exegol exists,’ said Ben, sitting up as a terrible realisation dawned on him. ‘Before Hux forced me out, I was trying to make contact with Pryde.’  
As she set up the transmitter, Rey remembered hearing the name but after everything that had happened, her memory was struggling to keep up. ‘Who’s Pryde again?’  
‘Snoke sent him into the Unknown Regions to protect Exegol from being found,’ said Ben patiently, ‘but even if he doesn’t find Pryde, he’s still got the holocron.’  
‘What holocron?’ Rey tried unsuccessfully to boost the signal of the transmitter, which was weaker than the previous evening.  
‘One I found on Mustafar,’ he started to explain, anxiously raking his hands through his hair.  
‘What’s Mustafar?’  
‘It’s a planet, covered in lava,’ he said distractedly, ‘Vader had a castle there.’  
‘Oh.’ Even the name of the Dark Lord sent a cold shiver through her. ‘What was on it?’  
‘An archive. Snoke’s origins, all his plans for the First Order… dammit.’ Annoyed with himself, he got to his feet and went over to the window.  
‘Did it say anything about Exegol?’  
Distracted by the view outside, Ben nodded vaguely, ‘But not how to get to it.’  
Rey tried to be optimistic, ‘Then it’s not all bad…’  
‘It is,’ insisted Ben, growing more and more agitated. ‘It puts the name in Hux’s head. His father was one of the Imperials who came out here. He might have information about it from another source… Oh shit! Why didn’t I get rid of the thing?’  
Ben paced around the room until Rey got fed up with him. Going over, she put the transmitter into his hands, thinking that the act of speaking to Poe would help him to focus. ‘Let’s hope the Resistance can get here before Hux even thinks about looking for Exegol.’  
‘That’s a lot to ask.’  
‘I know. But we have to try.’  
They both headed to the bathroom, Ben taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down. The stress of performing for the Overseer, of keeping his real feelings locked away tightly, had all contributed to his mood. Rey sympathised but she was more concerned about getting through to the Resistance. It took a while considering the signal problems but eventually Poe’s voice came clearly over the speaker, echoing slightly in the tiled room.  
‘Ben… Rey… what have you got for me?’  
‘A matter of urgency,’ Ben filled him in about the new class of Destroyers being produced by the ‘Snokes’ and their terrible implications for the war if the First Order managed to obtain them. ‘There’s already two ships ready, and forty more are in production.’  
‘You say these things can blow up planets?’  
‘Yes. They’re equipped with a new type of cannon,’ explained Ben, trying to make sure that Poe understood the danger the galaxy was in. ‘Even if one of these ships gets in the First Order’s hands, we’re finished.’  
‘We need the fleet here,’ added Rey, hoping that Poe understood the sense of urgency. ‘So we can disable the ships before the First Order finds out about them.’  
‘I’m really sorry guys, I understand the urgency but no can do…’  
‘What?’ Ben couldn’t understand what he was hearing. He and Rey exchanged a look of real concern. ‘You did hear us, right?’  
‘I did…’ came Poe’s voice over the tiny speaker, less clearly than before, ‘but the fleet is stretched thin. Everyone’s committed.’  
‘Not even a few ships?’ asked Rey in desperation.  
‘Not at present,’ Poe was apologetic but firm. ’We need everyone here in case the situation changes and we need to move. Can you find some other way to sabotage those ships?’  
‘I guess we could try.’ Ben couldn’t hide his disappointment.  
‘I’m sorry, guys, I really am. If something changes, I’ll let you know. But I also you need you guys back here as soon as you’ve finished up there.’  
‘What for?’  
‘I need you to help us liberate Kijimi,’ said Poe, wishing he had more time to explain. ‘Look, I’ve got to go but we’ve got some help from the spice runners there. I’ll fill you in when you’re back.’  
‘Alright.’ Rey looked at Ben helplessly, knowing that they had failed to get across to Poe the urgency of their situation.  
‘Stay strong and keep in touch.’ Poe’s voice buzzed and vanished as the signal finally gave up.  
‘That’s it, then.’ Frustrated, Ben was close to lashing out at something. He thought Poe was making a huge mistake.  
‘He said he can’t do anything at the moment,’ Rey said calmly, seeing that Ben’s rage was close to breaking. The Force boiled and frothed around him and it made her feel nervous. ‘But that might change…’  
‘But how soon?’ Ben closed his eyes, trying to ignore the rising anger inside him, the familiar need for destruction that usually followed.  
‘I don’t know,’ said Rey, trying to see the positive in the situation. They were here, after all, on the ground. ‘But in the meantime it’s up to us. There must be something we can do…’  
‘What the hell can we do?’ Try as he might, Ben was ready to explode with anger and disappointment. The feeling was too strong. ‘What’s the good of intelligence if Poe doesn’t act on it?’  
‘He said the fleet was tied up,’ she started to say, but Ben wasn’t in the mood to listen.  
‘To hell with his strategy!’ he said crossly, getting up and hitting out at the wall. He hit it so forcefully that several tiles cracked, sending a shower of grouting and bits of broken porcelain down onto the floor. Whilst Rey glared at him, he flexed his bruised hand, the need for release only slightly appeased. ’He should at the least have a backup plan..!’  
‘Sit down!’ Rey commanded before he had finished, her own anger flaring up. ‘Getting upset won’t help anyone. Least of all you.’  
Chastened by her tone, he sat back down again. They sat on the cold bathroom floor staring at each other for a long moment, both breathing heavily. Ben couldn’t take his eyes away from Rey and she couldn’t take her eyes away from him. As they sat there, their breathing eventually began to slow down, their chests rising and falling in synch with each other. It had a beneficial effect on both of them, almost like meditation, and their anger and frustration eventually started to fade.  
When they were both relaxed, Ben said quietly, ‘Then what do you suggest we do?’  
‘We have a ship…’  
‘We can’t take out all those Star Destroyers with just one TIE,’ he said in exasperation.  
‘It’s got guns,’ she said blithely, starting to dismantle the transmitter.  
‘It does,’ Ben couldn’t even raise a smile. ‘But we wouldn’t last long if the Snokes suddenly came at us with a fleet.’  
‘Do they even have one?’ The only enforcement they had seen were the security guards who had arrested them on their arrival. Otherwise security was either non-existent - or well hidden.  
‘That’s a good point,’ mused Ben, ‘would they even need one?’  
‘Do some digging,’ suggested Rey, putting the transmitter back into her bag. ‘The Overseer trusts you.’  
‘Okay.’ Ben looked over at the bath. ‘Do you mind?’  
‘Go for it.’ Leaving him, Rey headed towards her bedroom, feeling tired after a long and emotionally exhausting day. Changing into her pyjamas, she went back into the living room, looking for something to do. At one end was the large screen that she had not investigated get. Going over to it, she could not see any way to turn it on but then it suddenly burst into life.  
‘Syree here - what would you like to watch today?’ enquired a disembodied voice as the screen showed various images of people cooking, talking or looking at city landmarks.  
Rey looked around her in confusion. What was she supposed to do?  
‘If you are stuck, my recommendations include a look at traditional cooking on Exegol, discovering the sights of City Five…’  
‘Traditional cooking please,’ said Rey, speaking into the air.  
The screen changed and the programme started, Rey settling down on the couch to watch it. It turned out to be a fascinating history of how the ‘Snokes’ had adapted their food resources as their natural resources diminished, building huge factories to produce synthetic food.  
‘Almost all of our food now is synthetic,’ intoned the narrator, ‘although some humans still like to practice traditional agriculture in their gardens.’  
When Ben finally emerged from the bathroom in a rush of steam and heat, he found Rey immersed in a programme about traditional celebrations and events. ‘What are you doing?’  
‘I have no idea,’ admitted Rey cheerfully, as Ben sat down beside her, drying his hair with a towel. ‘It’s a screen that talks to me and shows me things.’  
‘It’s like the HoloNet,’ realised Ben, dropping the wet towel onto the floor. When Rey admitted that she did not know what that was, he explained it to her. ‘It’s a galactic broadcasting system, used mostly for propaganda purposes.’  
‘By the First Order?’  
‘Yes but it was started by the Republic.’ Absentmindedly, he scratched at the scar on his abdomen where the bacta had started to peel away.  
‘Sounds useful,’ said Rey, wondering when Ben was going to realise that he had forgotten to dress himself properly. He was only wearing his underpants. Whilst she was getting more comfortable with seeing him in various states of undress, being treated to an uninterrupted view of the various scars and wounds she had inflicted on him was less thrilling, and she turned her attention back to the screen. Looking at his body did strange things to her.  
‘It is.’ Ben found himself getting caught up in the programme, ‘Where is this?’  
‘City Five, I think.’  
There was a lull in the conversation as they watched a short segment on local delicacies, which turned out to be some kind of synthetic meat stew that put Rey’s stomach on edge. ‘I don’t think we’ll be going there.’  
‘No. I’d rather have my eyeballs roasted.’ Ben yawned and stretched, his armpit precariously close to Rey’s face.  
‘Do you have to?’ Rey looked at him with annoyance.  
‘Sorry.’ He put his hands down in his lap. He tried to watch the programme but finding it boring, his mind wandered to other things and his leg started to jiggle as it was apt to do when he was thinking. He was considering whether or not to go to bed, when he saw Rey was staring at him. ‘What?’  
‘Must you do that?’ His restlessness was making her nervous.  
‘No,’ he admitted, although he had worked through most of his anger in the bath. ‘I still think Poe is making a mistake.’ He looked at her critically, ‘Don’t you?’  
‘I think he’d feel differently if he was actually here,’ she ventured, ‘and seen what we’d seen.’  
‘Hmm.’ He mulled over her words. Perhaps something had been lost over the transmitter and Poe did not quite understand the gravity of the situation they faced.  
The programme finished and Rey turned the screen off. ‘Bed?’  
‘Hmm?’ Ben was still engrossed in his thoughts.  
‘I’m going to bed,’ said Rey in a louder voice, getting up.  
‘Yeah, me too.’ Picking up the towel, Ben also stood up. For some reason he felt awkward, not sure if she wanted him to sleep in her bed again, or if it would be a one off. He didn’t want to ask, just in case his question was met with a sound rebuff.  
Similarly Rey was grappling with the etiquette of whether she should ask Ben to stay with her, or whether she had to wait for him to ask her. After all, she was the one trying to keep him at bay whilst at the same time expecting affection from him. ‘Will you…’  
‘Do you…’ They spoke at the same time and he stopped, waiting for her. When she looked at him in askance, obviously waiting for him to speak first, he laughed. ‘Why is this so awkward?’  
It was then she realised that they were talking about the same thing. ‘I’d like to, if you don’t mind.’  
‘Why would I mind?’ he said, following her into the bedroom, ‘I like hearing you snore.’  
‘I don’t snore,’ she said crossly, pulling the blinds down. But then she asked with a hint of concern, ‘Do I?’  
‘Only a little bit,’ he smiled, pulling back the covers and climbing into bed. ‘It’s very sweet. Like a snuffling baby bantha.’  
The allusion was lost on Rey, who still did not know what a bantha was. ‘Are you trying to insult me?’ she frowned, climbing into her side of the bed. This is wrong, I’ve already divided up the bed into mine and Ben’s side.  
‘Of course not, I love baby banthas, he said, reaching out to her for a cuddle. ‘They’re cute and furry.’ Ben wasn’t sure whether he was making things worse or better.  
As she lay against him, feeling the warmth of his body through her thin pyjamas, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder, she felt relaxed for the first time that day. It made her realise what she had missed in her early life; the closeness and companionship of family and friends, the feeling of someone always being there for you when you needed them. She could never have imagined in a million light years that she would find the sense of belonging that she needed with her former enemy. The Force had brought them together but she couldn’t help thinking that there was another reason to stay together. If only she could accept it for what it was.  
‘I could get used to this,’ murmured Ben, his hand tangled up in her hair.  
‘Me too,’ she said, closing her eyes. The room was warm, the bed was comfortable and with Ben close by it was not long until she drifted off to sleep.

The next day, the Overseer said he would allow Ben and Rey to have more freedom now that he had decided Ben truly was Snoke’s representative, providing them with a keypad to their apartment so that they could come and go whenever they pleased. More ominously from Ben’s perspective, the Overseer began to take a keen interest in him, insisting that he be fitted with some new clothes more befitting of his status, essentially to replace his now rather tattered sweater. Although Ben had been reluctant at first to accept the largesse of the Overseer, in the end he capitulated, choosing a thin black sweater, plain black jacket and pants that were reminiscent of his brief excursion with the Knights of Ren, before he had turned to the dark side. He felt that it suited his in-between status, neither light nor dark, but combined of both. Even Rey had been impressed by the change in his appearance, which tickled him considering her general lack of interest in what he looked like.  
The only drawback in Ben’s mind to having greater freedom was that the Overseer was becoming more and more eager to speak to him without Rey being there. When he brought the subject of going to see the Overseer alone, Rey agreed that it would be beneficial to their mission. She needed to spend more time in and around the city, seeking out those humans who might be conducive to supporting their plans against the Snokes. But she could sense that Ben was not overly keen on the idea. ‘What is it?’  
‘I don’t know… I feel like I’m losing my grip on reality.’  
‘What do you mean?’ They were sat on the couch at the end of another stressful day after touring a munitions factory, which the Overseer had cheerfully informed them was only one of ten such complexes, one attached to each major city. Half watching a programme on traditional festivals, Rey was lying against Ben’s chest, whilst he played with her hair in a vain attempt to calm himself down.  
‘Pretending to be Kylo Ren. Pretending that Snoke is still alive.’ He sighed deeply. ‘It’s like the last year never happened.’  
‘You’re reminded of Snoke, aren’t you,’ Rey asked quietly, sensing Ben’s underlying anxiety. ‘How he was with you before you turned.’  
Ben nodded. ‘The same kindness. Interest… Attention.’  
Rey had realised some time before that whilst Ben was very analytical and perceptive, he sometimes focused too much on one thing to the detriment of everything else. It meant that he could miss obvious things staring him in the face. So it had been with his family. He had been too focused on his own feelings of unworthiness, on the darkness inside him, rather than seeing the love that his family had for him. Coupled with Leia and Luke’s own fears about their dark heritage, it had created the perfect situation for Snoke to manipulate. ‘But it’s different now,’ she said encouragingly, turning to look up at him. ‘You’re aware of what’s happening.’  
‘Yeah, I can see how I was sucked in. I’m just worried that if you’re not there, I’ll get carried away. Say something idiotic.’  
‘You might do that even if I was there,’ Rey smiled and patted his stomach. ‘Don’t worry. You’re doing great.’  
But he found it hard to believe her, and he had a restless night, waking up at the slightest noise.  
The next morning, Ben had arranged to meet the Overseer at the landing platform whilst Rey was going to venture out into the city on her own. The plan was for her to try and gauge the likelihood of the humans wanting to rise up against their overlords. Although they had discussed it thoroughly before going to bed, Rey was still not sure how she was going to naturally introduce the idea of rebellion in conversation. But Ben had faith in her.  
‘You’re a people person,’ he said, as she pulled her coat on. ‘You’ll find a way.’  
Rey was surprised by his assessment, considering she had spent most of her life alone or attacking most people. ‘You’re joking.’  
‘No I’m not, people love you. Anyway, hold out your hand.’  
‘Why?’  
He rolled his eyes. ‘No need to be suspicious. Here.’ He handed her some tokens that the Overseer had given to them. ‘You can spend them anywhere you like,’ he explained to her, ‘but he would prefer you to use them in the human parts of the city.’  
‘Don’t worry,’ said Rey, accepting the tokens from him and putting them into her bag, ‘I don’t intend on going anywhere near the Snokes.’  
‘Just be careful,’ Ben cautioned, wishing that he was going with her. He would have liked to have seen more of the city without the Overseer controlling where he should go and what he should see.  
They walked out of the apartment together, Ben suggesting that Rey took the keycard in case she wanted to come back earlier. Already he could see the Overseer waiting outside on the landing platform. ‘I better go.’  
They embraced, holding each other tightly. It was the first time that they had been apart since they arrived on Exegol. Rey wondered if she was doing the right thing, leaving Ben to face the Overseer on his own. Yet, she reminded herself, Ben was a grown man, perfectly able to cope with the pressure. After all, he had survived for years with Snoke. ‘See you later.’  
‘Yeah.’ With a half-hearted smile, Ben headed off to meet the Overseer. As usual, Snoke’s doppelgänger was dressed in flamboyant robes, this time an embossed, dark grey gown with light blue trimmings. Watching Ben leave, Rey felt great relief that she would not have to put up with the Overseer’s tedious lectures and boring trips. Poor Ben!  
As the speeder took off, she turned towards the elevators. The previous evening she had examined a holo-map of the city, memorising the areas that she wanted to explore. These were the human areas of the city, lying several blocks away from their apartment building. To get to them, she would have to go through some of the areas reserved for the Snokes, which made her nervous. Ben had told her that in case of trouble, the tokens would show that she was able to use those areas, but if any of the Snokes failed to believe her, she was to contact him and the Overseer. How she was going to achieve that without being able to speak was something she had not quite worked out yet.  
Fortunately she did not meet anybody in the elevators and she made it to the human areas without any confrontation. She made sure that her lightsaber was prominent on her belt, hoping that it would give out a warning to others not to mess with her.  
Rey wandered through the streets, taking in the sights. There were other humans around but they only gave her a cursory glance at most, intent on their own journey or casually shopping. She looked into shop windows selling everything from clothes to medicines, and noticed the many different bars and restaurants that catered for all kinds of different tastes and interests. She bought herself a colourful scarf after seeing several women wearing one, hoping it would make her fit in a little more. Alongside the shops, there were places of worship - dedicated to the mysterious Shadow and nowhere near as interesting as the temples on Kijimi - and places of learning, from which she could hear the excited shrieks and shouts of the children inside. Despite the oppression of the Snokes, and the terrible exploitation of the planet, clearly people could make a life here for themselves. The tenacity and optimism of the human spirit amazed her.  
After several hours of exploration, she began to feel a dull ache in the pit of her stomach. Looking around, she saw a bar a little further up the street she was on, its sign promising a ‘quick and tasty meal for a good price.’ As she glanced at the menu in the window to make sure she had enough tokens, she noticed a symbol etched into the glass. Looking at it more closely, she saw that it was a pair of wings encircling a blade, marked by a six point star. Her heartbeat started to quicken. She had seen that symbol before. It was the symbol of the Jedi Order.  
What is it doing on Exegol?  
Intrigued, she entered to find herself in a cosy-looking space that was roughly divided into two areas, with a long bar towards the back. The walls were panelled in dark wood, with rough-hewn furniture to match. In the grate, a fire was burning merrily although it was not cold outside. There were a few other people inside; a well-dressed couple sat on a table by the window, speaking quietly to each other, and two men in clean, white overalls were sitting beside the bar. They glanced at her as she came in, whilst the couple were too absorbed in their conversation to even notice her enter.  
‘How can I help?’ asked the man stood behind the bar. He was dressed in a long, white apron over black shirt and trousers, reminding her of Finn with his dark skin and friendly eyes.  
‘I was looking to eat something,’ said Rey, perching herself onto a stool next to the bar. It was the best place to try and engage some of the customers in conversation.  
‘Then you’ve come to the right place.’ He handed her the menu. ‘What kind of thing are you looking for?’  
‘What would you recommend?’ Rey asked, ‘I don’t know the food so well here.’  
‘Oh?’ He frowned, ‘You’re from one of the other cities, then?’  
‘No,’ said Rey, casting her eyes over the list of food. She decided to be bold. ‘I’m from Jakku.’  
The man glanced over at the two other customers, who were taking a close interest in the conversation, ‘Jakku?’  
‘It’s in the Western Reaches.’  
‘I see.’ The man bit his lip, seemingly wondering how to tackle his mysterious customer. ‘Well, the salads are very popular, as are the wraps. We’ve got lots of different fillings.’  
Reaching a decision, she said, ‘I’ll have the er… vegetable and noodle wraps please, with a side salad.’  
‘Good choice.’ Entering the order into a data-pad, he regarded her thoughtfully. ‘But how did you get here? It’s impossible to get to Exegol.’  
‘Yeah, it’s impossible,’ said one of the men sat close by, regarding her with interest. He was an older man with a rough beard, although his dark skin was still smooth, barely lined at all.  
‘No it’s not,’ said Rey brightly, turning to face him. ‘I came here with my friend.’  
‘In a ship?’ The man looked incredulous.  
‘Yes.’ Rey could tell that he thought she was lying, but there was no harm in planting a small seed of suggestion.  
‘Where is your friend now?’  
‘He’s with the Overseer.’  
‘Some fancy friend you’ve got,’ said the older man’s younger companion, looking Rey up and down. He was clearly intrigued by her weapon. ‘Not many of us humans get to meet with the Overseers. They don’t seem to like us.’  
‘Why?’  
‘I don’t know,’ said the man, shrugging. ‘The Shadow says that we’re made to serve them, and so that’s what we do.’  
‘It’s written in the scriptures,’ said his friend, ‘it’s how things are.’  
‘Here you go.’ The bartender put her food on her bar in front of her.  
It was a generous portion and she looked gratefully at him. ‘Thank you.’  
Hungry, Rey concentrated on eating her food, which was as delicious as the food given to her by the Overseer. Soon the interest in her had waned; the two men at the bar were back to conversing quietly amongst themselves, thinking that she was crazy, and the bartender got on with washing some glasses.  
When she had finished, Rey smiled and thanked the bartender for such an enjoyable meal. ‘How much?’  
‘Two tokens.’ As he took the payment, the man leaned over the bar towards her and whispered, ‘Is it true what you said? You’re not from Exegol?’  
‘Yes.’ She smiled conspiratorially.  
‘Then why are you here?’  
Taking a deep breath, Rey decided to tell him the truth. She felt no malice or suspicion in his manner, in fact he was very open to what she was saying. Perhaps he knew more than he was letting on. ‘I’m here to liberate the people of Exegol. To destroy the Overseers and prevent them from becoming a threat to rest of the galaxy.’  
He stared at her for a long moment. Then he said, ’You need to speak to Kyp Dala.’  
‘Where?’ she whispered back, putting an extra few tokens on the bar.  
‘Industrial district. Warehouse 67.’ The barman winked at her, ‘Say Tinian Sal sent you.’

‘And you found this out in a bar?’ Ben was dubious when she told him her story later. They were already dressed in their pyjamas, Ben having got back very late from his day with the Overseer. Despite her desire to go to bed, Rey had forced herself to stay awake until he got back, excited about her potential discovery. Now she was half-lying against him, her feet up on the couch. Ben’s arm hung loosely around her waist as he lounged back amongst the cushions, trying to forget about the tense day he’d had with the Overseer. Being with Rey was helping; he hadn’t expected to miss her so much and with her calm presence in his mind again, he was finally beginning to feel relaxed.  
‘Yes. It was odd,’ said Rey, playing with the scarf she had bought, caressing the lovely, soft material in her hands. ‘Of all the bars I could have gone in, I chose one with the Jedi symbol scratched onto the window.’  
‘What?’ That was a detail she hadn’t mentioned before.’You saw a Jedi symbol on a window in Exegol?’ He sat up straighter, excited.  
‘Yes, the symbol of the Jedi Order.’  
Letting go of her, Ben grabbed a pen from the table and handed it over. ‘Draw it for me.’  
Having no paper to hand, Rey opened one of the books and found a blank piece of paper towards the back. Trying to remember the symbol, with Ben’s help she eventually sketched a very rough version of it for him.  
For the first time since he had returned to the apartment, Ben was optimistic. ‘Someone knows about the Jedi.’ He looked at her, ‘Did you see it anywhere else?’  
‘There were a couple painted onto the side of buildings,’ said Rey, thinking back. Those had been in the drabber parts of the city, where the buildings were boarded up and empty, often daubed with paint and meaningless slogans. ‘But not in prominent places.’  
‘I wonder what it means. Either it’s coincidence or there is some outside influence here.’ He was quiet for a moment, thinking about the implications. ‘The Overseer has all but confirmed to me that they have restricted what the humans know. They have told them nothing about the rest of the galaxy. The entirety of their horizon is Exegol.’  
Rey thought it made sense based on her experiences. ’No one had heard of Jakku.’  
‘That’s hardly surprising,’ Ben scoffed. Getting up, he went over to the window, feeling unsettled. ‘We need to find this contact. I wonder if I can get out of meeting the Overseer tomorrow?’ Almost speaking to himself he went on, ‘Maybe we should go now…?’  
‘Will you calm down,’ laughed Rey, recognising the same energy that had led to his frustration over Poe’s inability to help them. ‘We can’t go now. It’s late. We’re both tired.’  
‘Yeah,’ he conceded reluctantly, watching the traffic as it streamed around the buildings. ‘But what if I can’t come with you? Are you alright to do this on your own?’  
‘Yes,’ said Rey firmly, wondering what had got into him. ‘I can look after myself.’  
‘You can.’ He had never thought of Rey as vulnerable but it clashed with his need to be there for her, to protect her. He knew that she could look after herself perfectly well, but love, he was starting to realise, did not always lead to rational thoughts. It was little wonder the Jedi had sought to restrict it to its most dispassionate incarnation.  
When Rey gave in and went to bed, Ben searched all the books in the bookcase, looking for any evidence of information that there was a galaxy outside of Exegol. Even a slight mention of the Jedi or the Republic. But he found nothing. Every book was about the Exegol system, covering its past and its present in agonisingly minute detail.Yet someone knew about the Jedi beside the Overseers and it perplexed him. It still perplexed him when he finally made it to bed, only to be disturbed by Rey, who was also still awake, unable to stop the thoughts churning around in her head.  
‘Perhaps it’s a form of hidden knowledge?’ Ben wondered as they lay together in the dark, holding hands. ’Passed down through the generations. The humans had to come from somewhere after all.’  
Rey managed to follow his logic. ‘And it’s become a symbol. Of resistance against the Overseers.’  
It almost seemed too good to be true. Squeezing her hand, he turned to face her. ‘To think only a year ago I was trying to destroy one Resistance. Now I’m actively hoping for one.’  
Perhaps it was not altogether unsurprising for the son of Leia Organa, but Rey could see that Ben clearly understood what oppression and tyranny meant in practice. Keeping people in purposeful ignorance, enslaving them through restricted choices and enforcing rigid ideas of superiority and inferiority. Looking back, she realised that such ideas had been present on Jakku, albeit the tyrants were petty, local bullies such as Unkar Plutt, and she had been surprised to learn that despotism flourished in many places in the galaxy, even under the Republic, according to Ben. But it did make her wonder how he had come to be at the head of the most repressive military machine of all. ‘Did you believe in the First Order?’  
‘Yes and no.’ As ever it was not a straightforward answer. ‘When I became Snoke’s apprentice, I wasn’t even aware of its existence.’  
‘Snoke didn’t tell you?’ Rey was surprised by that.  
‘Snoke didn’t tell me a lot of things,’ said Ben bitterly, ‘and by the time I found out, it was too late. Not that it made any difference. I was so angry… and full of hate.’ He sighed heavily, not wishing to ever revisit the state of mind he had been in at the time of his initiation into the ranks of the First Order. His execution of Snoke’s orders had been so tied up in his need for revenge on his family that he had never really stopped to think about the implications of what he was a part of. ‘I don’t know if I ever believed in anything really,’ he said eventually. ‘I just wanted to be rid of the pain in my heart.’  
They lay together in silence for a while. It meant so much to Ben that Rey listened to him without passing judgement, although she had perfectly valid reasons to do so. After her own experiences with the dark side, she was closer than anyone else to understanding the circumstances in which his choices had been made.  
Then Rey spoke, ‘Where do you think we’ll end up? In the future?’  
‘I have no idea. It depends who wins.’  
‘If the Resistance wins?’  
He sighed. ‘I don’t know. Ask me again when it’s all over.’  
She could guess what his concerns might be. ’I hope any new government will have an… informed perspective on the First Order, considering most of you were manipulated as children.’  
‘Maybe,’ said Ben, his fingers entwined with hers. ‘But I don’t think they’ll see it that way.’  
‘Poe will support you…’  
‘But there will be hundreds of systems to convince, it’s not up to the will of a few individuals,’ Ben said patiently. Even if his mother had still been alive, he knew he could not expect to be let off lightly. ‘I, Hux and the other leaders of the First Order. We all have to be treated the same.’  
‘They won’t know what you’ve been through,’ she said quietly.  
‘No. But no one really does. Except you.’ He looked away, not wanting to think about the future, his future anyway.  
‘What about a new Jedi order?’  
‘What about it?’ He wanted to sleep rather than talk but Rey seemed to have found a second wind.  
‘Do you think it’s a good idea to start again? To go back to the original ideals of the Jedi?’  
‘There might be some merit in it,’ Ben said eventually. ‘You’d make a good mentor. You have a strong idea of what the Force is and what it does.’  
‘That we are driven by the light but have the potential for darkness, too,’ Rey said, articulating some of the ideas that had been rumbling about in her head. ‘It’s how we deal with that darkness which is important. Not to deny it but try and understand why it thinks we need it.’  
Ben nodded. He did not say it but Rey knew that he was thinking about his own family’s response to the darkness inside him, which, from his perspective, had been to push him away. ‘But it might have been okay,’ she said thoughtfully, ‘if it hadn’t been for Snoke manipulating you. You might still have struggled, but…’  
‘There would be no one telling me that my anger was justified,’ agreed Ben, feeling weary and closing his eyes. ‘I would have been a Jedi, I guess, a rebellious and disgruntled one… but that’s no different from my grandfather. Or Luke for that matter.’  
‘What is it about the Skywalkers?’ grinned Rey, ‘You don’t seem to like following rules.’  
‘No. We want to tear up the rule book, stamp on it and burn it.’ Ben finally managed a smile. Even his mother, Leia, had always refused to do what was expected of her. ‘And I get that from both sides. I had no chance.’  
‘Part of me is glad that I don’t know much about my family,’ said Rey distantly, ‘I don’t have any expectations placed on me by my heritage - of who I am. I can be who I want to be.’  
‘That must be freeing…’  
‘It is, but I don’t have anyone to blame either!’  
This made them both laugh, relieving some of the tension between them. Ben reflected that although he had resented being part of a dyad at first, he was glad of it now. Even if they ended up taking different paths in life, he knew that Rey would always be there if he needed her, and he would be there for her.  
They both fell silent again. The room was warm, and the bed was soft, and he was just dropping off to sleep when Rey said quietly, ‘Ben?’  
‘Hmm?’ Catching a note of sadness in her voice, he opened his eyes again. ‘What is it?’  
‘How can you be sure…?’ she began, hesitantly, before clamming up. He couldn’t see it in the darkness but her face was wet with tears.  
‘Of what?’ he pressed her gently. There were so many thoughts and ideas swirling about her, he couldn’t tell which one was the most prominent in her mind.  
She took a deep breath as more tears welled up. ‘That… that you love me?’  
His forehead creased slightly as he wondered how to respond. In the end, he said, ’It’s the only thing I am sure about.’  
‘But how do you know… it’s love?’  
He finally grasped what she was getting at. ‘I can’t explain it, I just feel it.’  
Rey’s voice dropped to a whisper. ’Then why can’t I?’  
The answer, for him, was easy, and he had gone over it in his head many times. ‘Because I’m a murderer, Rey.’ It was agony to admit it but he had to. ‘I’ve killed people. Innocent people…’  
‘Ben…’  
‘I’ve been arrogant and selfish. Putting my need for revenge above everything else,’ he continued, needing her to understand how damaged he was. ‘I treated you and your friends badly. I destroyed my family, tried to destroy the Resistance.’ He paused, ‘I can’t ever change that or make it right.’  
Wiping her eyes, Rey realised that Ben, with brutal honesty, understood the emotions that she was contending with. ‘I want to forgive you…’  
He nodded, understanding. ‘But perhaps you never will.’  
She frowned, he seemed resigned to a loveless existence. ‘You don’t think I can love you… do you? You don’t think anyone can.’  
Clasping her hand tightly, he shook his head. Despite the strength of his emotions, there were no tears in his eyes. He would never allow himself any pity. ‘No, I don’t think it’s possible.’  
‘I care about you…’  
‘I know. And it’s more than I deserve. But it’s not the same, is it?’ It was so peculiar, the situation they were in. They were both trained, as Jedi, to shun the desire for personal, and romantic, relationships, but here they were both wanting that very same thing. Ben wondered if the Force had some kind of perverse reason in creating the dyad; he had been toying with the idea that the intense feelings they had for each other were simply part of the compulsion to find each other, but those feelings had not gone away now that they were together. Perhaps it would be different when they had achieved balance, as they were supposed to.  
‘No.’ She had compassion for him, for the struggle he was going through. But that was different to the love she wanted to feel for him, the one she could not put into words. ‘Nothing is impossible,’ she said softly, echoing Leia’s words to her when she had struggled with her training.  
‘Maybe.’ Her words seemed to put his mind at rest but it was a long time before either of them fell asleep.

The next day, Rey struck out towards the industrial district early, leaving Ben to wait for the Overseer. That morning they had barely spoken; Ben was subdued and Rey thought it better to leave him alone, to let him process the feelings that had been raised in the night. It was only when she was about to leave the apartment that he seemed to shake himself out of his inertia.  
‘You’ll be careful, won’t you?’ he said, making doubly sure that she had her weapons and knew where she was going.  
‘I will.’  
‘I’ll miss you.’ Now that he faced going back to the Overseer alone, he didn't want to do it. For some unidentifiable reason he felt uneasy, unable to relax.  
Reaching up, she put her arms around his neck, allowing him to pull her in for a close embrace. As he laid his head down on her shoulder, his lips accidentally brushed against her neck, causing her pulse to quicken, and warm tingles to course through her body. My body knows what it wants, she realised. It had no qualms about responding to his touch in ways that continued to confound her. But for now it would have to wait.  
It was a long walk to the warehouse but she was keen to understand the layout of the city, as well as take the opportunity to clear her head of the tumult of emotions that Ben’s proximity, and anxiety, had provoked within her. As she had discovered the previous day, the city had a certain logic to it. The ‘Snokes’ lived at the centre, their work and entertainment kept separate from that of the humans. Next came the human areas, with shopping, entertainment and living areas mingling together. Outside these were the industrial areas, light industry first, with the heavier, and more polluting, industries pushed out towards the city’s outskirts. Research had showed her that the warehouses were numbered consecutively across the city, meaning that Warehouse 67 would be in one of the outermost districts. It should have daunted her but the desire to get far away from the ‘Snokes’ was far more appealing.  
As she walked through the city, she started to catch glimpses of more of the symbols. They were hidden in the most unlikely places but once she started to see them, she realised that they were inscribed at regular intervals, almost as if it were a trail. There was intention behind their positioning. There was one daubed high up on a roof gable, another scratched into the stone seat where she ate her lunch. Someone was guiding her to where she needed to go.  
By her reckoning, she reached the industrial district by early afternoon. Immediately, the emptiness and sense of abandonment of this part of the city struck her deeply. Unlike the other districts, there was no one around. Sounds of machinery came from inside some of the larger warehouses and she wondered if most of they city’s industry was run automatically considering how advanced the ‘Snokes’ were in terms of their technology. Still, she kept as close to the buildings as possible, in case her presence there had been observed.  
She walked for ages, past endless blocks of plain, featureless buildings, all of the same bland construction. After a while, the only thing that kept her sane was counting the numbers that were painted onto the corners of the warehouses, otherwise she could have sworn she had walked down the same street countless times. There was absolutely nothing of interest to look at - no wildlife, no trees or even plants. Just the same grey buildings against the same dark grey sky, the same light from regularly placed lamps. Under her breath, she counted the warehouse numbers, 100, 99, 98, 97, 96…but even that became tedious after a while. Her thoughts wandered back to Ben, how he was getting on, and she hoped that he wasn’t having too stressful a time with the Overseer. He had been so fragile that morning, the way he had held her suggested a man on the verge of a breakdown.  
69, 68… There it was at last. Warehouse 67. It looked abandoned and empty, the grey cladding was dirty and falling away, revealing the plain concrete bricks of its construction underneath. Several holes had opened up in the roof where the timbers were rotting away. No one had been near it for years and her heart sank. How could Kyp Dala be hiding out here?  
Leaving the security of the shadows, Rey ran across the open space in front of the warehouse, heading for two large doors on the right hand side. Although the doors were locked with a rusty metal chain and padlock, she could see that it was possible to squeeze through a gap between the door frame and the rotten cladding. With one last glance around to make sure she was not being followed, Rey squeezed into the gap.  
Inside, the warehouse space opened up before her. It was a gigantic space, filled with the silent and dusty remains of machinery. Walkways ran around the space at various levels to access different parts of the machines, reached by stairs that still appeared to be relatively intact. On the left hand side, a series of doors at different levels suggested the warehouse extended further out the back, perhaps to offices or more machine halls.  
There was a sound from behind one of the machines. Rey grabbed her lightsaber, but she could not see anyone. ‘Hello?’  
Her voice echoed back.  
Keeping hold of her weapon, Rey walked cautiously forward. The dust on the floor had been disturbed recently, she could see lots of different footprints leading all over the warehouse. Again, she heard a slight movement from an area to her right. Reaching out with the Force, she tried to make sense of what was there. Several life forms, probably human…  
With a cry, someone jumped out at her, brandishing what looked like a staff studded with sharp nails. Responding quickly, Rey leaped backwards, sizing up her assailant. It was a young man, dressed in what had once been grey overalls. He came at her again, raising his staff high but she realised that he represented a weak threat. It was easy for her to chop his weapon in half with her lightsaber and he stared at the remains in his hands. ‘What the…?’  
Three more youngsters appeared, two boys and a girl, all of them brandishing home-made weapons. Whether they were pumped up with adrenaline or stupidity it was hard to tell, but they also tried to attack Rey, and one by one she easily overpowered or disarmed them. As they lay on the floor, staring up at her, she stood over them, trying not to smile. ‘I’m not going to fight you.’  
‘What do you want?’ asked the young woman, inspecting a large bruise that was swelling up on her leg.  
‘I’m looking for Kyp Dala.’  
‘Who are you?’ came another voice from behind her.  
Turning around, Rey saw a woman had entered the room. She was tall and sturdy, with short, dark hair and dark skin. She was dressed like the others in grey overalls, although her clothes were clean and pressed. ’My name is Rey.’  
‘You’re a Jedi,’ said the woman, staring at her in amazement.  
‘What, the lightsaber?’ replied Rey, feeling no animosity from the woman, only wonder, and slight confusion. ‘Yes, I am. Sort of.’ Then she realised who she was talking to, ’You must be Kyp.’  
‘I can’t believe I’m actually standing in the same room as a Jedi,’ Kyp enthused, coming over. ‘How did you get here? How do you know about us?’  
‘Well,’ Rey started to say but Kyp was too excited and continued to talk over her.  
‘I’m sorry, I’m forgetting myself.’ She stared at the young people on the floor, as if she had not seen them before. ‘And I’m sorry about these guys. Obviously they don’t recognise a real Jedi when they see one.’  
‘You told us to defend the place,’ frowned the young woman, getting to her feet. Like Kyp, she had short cropped hair, although hers was bright red. Her pale face was marked by a large red stain, that covered most of the left side. Looking at Rey, she attempted a slight smile as if to say sorry; Rey could tell that she was shy but her green eyes were bright and curious.  
‘From the Overseers,’ Kyp sighed, exasperated with their behaviour, ‘not from other humans. If our plan works, a lot more people are going to be coming here, looking for us. Anyway,’ she turned back to Rey, who was trying not to smile at Kyp’s obvious frustration with her team. ‘Come on in, I’ll try to explain to you what is supposed to be happening here.’  
Following Kyp, Rey went through some double doors into another part of the warehouse, the rest of the group following sheepishly behind. There was a wide corridor, punctuated by doors that Rey could see led to smaller storerooms and offices.  
‘Most of these are un-used now,’ Kyp explained as they walked along before pausing at the last set of doors on the right. Opening them, she ushered Rey inside. To the others she said, ‘Go and work on the ship. Get it nice and clean for our visitor,’ and they disappeared through yet another set of doors at the very end of the corridor.  
Shutting the door, behind her, Kyp indicated that Rey should sit down. Taking a seat on an old wooden chair in front of a desk, Rey looked about her. She was in a plain, but functional, office space, with the desk in front of one wall and bookcases behind. A large screen sat on the desk. There was a notice-board by the door, covered with faded and curled bits of paper, and one filthy window, the few remaining, broken blinds obscuring the view outside.  
‘Hot drink?’ Kyp was standing by a low sideboard where a small machine was sat.  
‘Yes please.’ Rey had brought some water along with her but she was pleased to have something warm. It was chilly inside the warehouse.  
Kyp pressed some buttons and soon there were two cups of hot, steaming tea. ‘Here you go.’ She handed the cup to Rey and went to sit behind the desk. Pushing the screen out of the way, she looked at Rey expectantly. ‘To be honest, love, I don’t know where to start.’  
‘Who are the others?’ Rey asked, shifting the cup around in her hand so that she could drink from it.  
‘Them?’ Kyp smiled maternally, ‘Oh, they’re my children. Well, not really my children, I didn’t give birth to them, but that’s what I like to call them. Brin, Jekko, Minna and Riley. They technically don’t exist according to the Overseers.’  
‘Why not?’ Rey tasted the tea cautiously, it was steaming hot but made her feel warm inside. There was also enough sugar in it to give her a head rush.  
‘Do you know much about the Overseers?’ When Rey shook her head, Kyp leaned back in her chair. ‘At some point they decided that the er… traditional way that humans reproduce was disgusting and perverted. So in their great wisdom they decided that breeding us in huge factories was the way forward.’  
‘Yes, they did say something about that,’ recalled Rey, wrinkled her nose in thought.  
‘Who did?’  
‘The Overseer we met,’ she explained, realising that she was not with Ben anymore and could no longer rely on mental shortcuts. ‘He took us on a tour of the city and showed us where they were trying to clone themselves.’  
Kyp was confused. ‘He did?’  
‘Yes, when we first arrived here.’  
‘Who’s we?’  
‘Me and my friend.’  
‘I bet they didn’t show you inside,’ said Kyp cynically. When Rey shook her head, she went on, returning to her initial point. ‘Well, with artificial breeding comes control, selection. Any human that does not fit the narrow specifications of the Overseer’s ideal gets discarded.’  
‘That’s awful!’ But it was hardly surprising to her given the Snokes’ hideous attitude towards human life.  
‘It is,’ nodded Kyp, sipping her drink. ‘For us humans who were born the er… normal way, it stinks. Life on this shitty planet is a miracle, not something to be controlled.’  
Rey returned to the question that intrigued her. ’So what are you doing here?’  
Kyp sighed heavily, ‘I want to get us away from Exegol. All humans. Before the Overseers destroy us completely.’ She toyed with her cup for a moment, ‘You see, Rey, we don’t belong here. This planet is dying because of what the Overseers have done to it.’  
She nodded, understanding. ’How many of you are there?’  
‘About fifty or so. Not nearly enough.’ Kyp sighed again, ‘Most of the humans here are happy with their situation.’  
After experiencing the quality of life in the city, Rey had expected as much. ‘Who’s with you?’  
‘Myself, the four kids you’ve met and my actual son, Jakk. Rendol, he’s my partner, Tinian…’  
‘Tinian Sal?’  
‘Yes - have you met him?’  
Rey nodded, remembering the kind man in the bar. ‘He’s the one who told me to find you.’  
‘Good old Tinian,’ said Kyp, a faint smile spreading across her features. ‘He’s Jakk’s best friend.’ She paused for a moment, before adding, ‘There’s my brother, Blake… oh and all their families, and the kids they’ve rescued…’  
‘Rescued?’  
‘Like those four. My partner, Rendol, works in the breeding factories,’ explained Kyp, scratching her neck. ‘A perk of the job is that he’s not watched very closely by the Overseers. So for the past twenty years he’s been rescuing as many discarded children as he can. Some of our friends help him. They get them out and then they take them to another of the abandoned warehouses. They care for them there until they’re old enough to fend for themselves.’  
‘That’s very brave,’ said Rey admiringly.  
‘Not really,’ said Kyp sadly, ‘we can’t do much for them except keep them alive at a very basic level. Because they don’t exist they can’t get jobs. Most of them are homeless or have to eke out what they can by scavenging in the city…’  
‘Sounds like my childhood,’ remarked Rey. When Kyp looked at her in askance, she explained, ‘My parents sold me to a junk trader when I was small…’  
‘Why?’ Kyp looked aghast.  
‘It’s a long story,’ said Rey, fiddling with the handle on her cup, ‘but the short version is they were desperate… and afraid.’ Seeing that Kyp was satisfied enough with the answer, she went on, ‘He forced me to scavenge, to strip parts from old Imperial warships for basic food rations, parts which he would then sell on for a profit.’  
‘Where was this?’ Her story did not fit Kyp’s ideas about the galaxy she had expected to find outside of Exegol. She had expected a better quality of life, every planet ruled over by serene beings who were interested in peace and taking care of the galaxy around them.  
‘Jakku,’ said Rey, ‘it’s a desert planet, in the Western Reaches. It has a harsh climate and it makes people harsh in return.’  
‘It’s not somewhere I’ve heard of,’ said Kyp, Leaning forward in her seat, she waved her hand at Rey, ‘But you’ve done alright considering your background. To look at you… I would never have guessed what you had been through.’  
Realising that the conversation had become somewhat derailed, Rey asked, ‘What do you do here?’  
‘Do?’ Kyp thought she had already explained.  
‘Your work?’  
‘Oh, I oversee production in this area of the district,’ Kyp explained, pointing to a large map on one of the walls. ‘I look after Warehouses 1-99. They actually used to make machine parts here, until the technology superseded it.’  
‘Why do you stay here?’  
‘I’m comfortable here,’ said Kyp with a wolfish grin, ‘besides, now we’ve stopped production it means the Overseers almost never come here. Which is what I need to be able to plan our escape.’ She took another long sip of her drink. ‘Most of the production in this district is fully automated so I only have to deal with problems as and when they occur. Which, thanks to the technical ingenuity of the Overseers, is not very often.’  
‘Sounds good,’ agreed Rey, considering the types of work she could be doing.  
‘Believe me, it is,’ smiled Kyp, leaning back in her seat again. ‘I really feel for those humans who get picked to work with the Overseers. Luckily, being a female has its perks.’  
‘They don’t like us, do they?’  
‘No, they hate women. Quite pathologically so,’ said Kyp. ‘Ah, that leads me to my next question. How did you get here? You said you came with a friend?’  
‘Me and Ben came here by ship,’ she explained, her worries about Ben’s state of mind resurfacing as soon as he popped into her mind. ‘Ben’s a sort-of Jedi too.’  
‘There’s two of you?’ Kyp nearly spat out her tea in surprise. ‘Two Jedi? This is… Rendol will never believe me, that’s for sure.’ There was one thing she was uncertain about, ‘Ben - is that a girl or…?’  
‘No,’ Rey laughed, ‘he’s definitely a man.’  
‘Where is he now?’  
‘He’s with the Overseer.’  
Kyp drew her breath in sharply. ‘Why?’  
Feeling that she could trust Kyp, Rey explained to her their plan in detail. That they belonged to a small group of freedom fighters called the Resistance, who were trying to overthrow the tyrannical First Order. How they had traced the origins of the First Order to Exegol, seeking answers as to how an obscure military organisation had built up so much power and resources. She explained how they had been captured on arrival, and Ben had pretended to be Snoke’s apprentice, using the ruse to integrate himself in with the Overseer.  
When Kyp heard Snoke’s name, she was surprised. ‘That’s the Overseer who left all those years ago. He promised to come back, to lead the Overseers to a new planet. But he never did.’  
‘He can’t come back now,’ said Rey grimly, ‘he’s dead.’  
‘Good,’ said Kyp, finishing off her tea. ‘That means the Overseers are stuck here. Unless they find out how to leave from your friend…’  
‘From Ben?’ Rey frowned, ‘He won’t tell them anything.’  
‘They can read minds.’  
‘They already tried that but it didn’t work.’  
Kyp smiled at her confidence. ‘Spoken like a real Jedi.’ She was silent for a moment, then asked, ‘Ben knows that the Overseers… well, that they er, like young boys…?’  
Rey thought it an odd question, ‘Ben’s not that young, he’s older than me.’  
‘How old’s that?’  
Rey hazarded a guess, ‘Thirty?’  
‘Oh, he should be fine then,’ said Kyp, lacing her fingers together, ‘he’ll be able to look after himself.’  
‘I’m not so sure about that.’ Kyp’s comments were playing into Rey’s own concerns about Ben’s mental state, ‘He’s a bit fragile at the moment.’  
‘So you’re the strong one?’ Kyp looked pleased. ‘Another cup of tea?’  
‘No thanks.’ As Kyp went back over to the drinks machine and made herself another tea, Rey asked her, ’How do you know about the Jedi?’  
‘From stories, handed down through my family for generations,’ Kyp explained, coming back to sit down behind the desk. Opening up one of the drawers, she rifled through it until she found what she was looking for. Pulling out a book, she handed it to Rey. ‘I found this book in my parents’ possessions after they died. It’s a history of the galaxy, of the Republic and the battles between the Jedi and the Sith. It told me that the stories I had heard as a child, were true.’  
The book was ancient, barely held together by the cracked and peeling binding. Holding it carefully, Rey opened it up and looked at the front page. It said, A History of the Republic, its formation and continuing rule of the Known Galaxy, as well as the cataclysmic struggles between the Jedi and the Sith, by Jolee Bindo.  
‘The first humans who came here must have brought this book with them,’ said Kyp reverently, watching as Rey looked through the book, studying the faded text and detailed line drawings. ‘I assume it was passed down secretly through my family. Whilst the Overseers tried to erase our history, we kept the truth alive through stories. They tell us that humans originated from Exegol but we know it’s not true. We know that we came from outside, from the Known Galaxy beyond the nebula.’  
Satisfied, Rey put the book back on the desk. ‘Is this the only proof you have?’  
Kyp nodded. ‘The Overseers destroyed everything. Our names, our culture, our history. For hundreds of years they have been lying to us.’  
‘Why don’t the people here rise up against them?’ Rey wanted to know. Clearly there were more humans than Snokes.  
‘I did think about that,’ admitted Kyp, returning the book to the drawer. ‘But most of the humans here don’t know the truth. They believe the Overseers. They worship the Shadow. Do everything that is expected of them.’  
It was similar to how the First Order operated; they had brainwashed their officers and stormtroopers. Rey wondered if Exegol had been a template for their entire operation.  
‘So,’ Kyp went on, ‘I decided to try things the other way around. Leave Exegol with my family and as many people as we can persuade to leave. Find proof that something exists beyond the nebula and come back here with it. It has to be something that shakes people’s beliefs to the core.’  
Although Rey had only spent an hour in Kyp’s company, she had already warmed to her, finding her open, perceptive and down-to-earth. She understood why other humans might not want to leave Exegol but instead of condemning them to their fate, she wanted to come back, to help them see the truth. ‘We can help you, Ben and I. I know we can.’  
‘I thank the Force that you walked into this warehouse,’ said Kyp happily, looking at Rey in wonder. ‘Ever since I was little, my mother told me stories about the Jedi. Their goodness, their compassion. That they were great warriors who protected the galaxy from the darkness. It was the only hope we had, that one day the Jedi would learn of our plight and come and rescue us. And here you are.’ Kyp looked close to tears.  
‘But you’ve done more than enough to rescue yourselves. All Ben and I have to do is show you the way.’  
‘Well, we do need a little more help than that,’ admitted Kyp, standing up. ‘Come with me.’  
Leaving the office, Kyp took Rey through the double set of doors where the young people had gone earlier. Whilst they were walking, Rey asked Kyp if it was her who had left the Jedi Order symbols across the city.  
‘Yes, me and Tinian,’ she said, slightly embarrassed about it. ‘We were hoping that it would be a pathway for people to follow, to lead to their enlightenment, so to speak. But so far you’re the only person who’s found the trail.’  
Pushing open some more doors, Kyp led Rey into another large space, at least four storeys high. Broken machinery had been pushed to the side, leaving space for a large ship-sized object in the centre, covered in large sheets of tarpaulin.  
‘Yes, it’s a ship,’ said Kyp, leading Rey around it. ‘But it’s not currently working. It needs new parts.’  
‘How did you get it?’ asked Rey, almost giddy with excitement. This was something concrete that she and Ben could help with.  
They ducked under the sheets and headed into the ship proper. There, Minna and Riley were cleaning the walls, whilst Brin and Jekko were tidying up loose wiring.  
‘My son works as a test pilot out at the shipyards,’ explained Kyp as she showed Rey around inside. It was very basic, clearly built for testing the weaponry or engines, rather than providing a comfortable experience for any inhabitants. There was a table and chairs in the main hold, no sleeping quarters, but there were several storerooms and a well-equipped cockpit. ‘We managed to smuggle this ship out when it was about to be scrapped.’  
Rey admired Kyp’s approach to life. She saw usefulness, and value, in things that would otherwise be discarded. The former scavenger in her appreciated this aspect of her character very much.  
‘But then we realised that none of us know the first thing about restoring a ship,’ said Kyp ashamedly, ‘and our plans were put on hold. Indefinitely.’  
‘How long ago?’  
‘It’s been here for the best part of… ten years.’  
‘It’s a good thing, then, that me and Ben know about ships,’ smiled Rey, already she could see that they were missing a motivator, compressor, regulators… ‘If we can get the parts, we can help you fix it.’  
‘You can?’ Kyp was both surprised and pleased, overwhelmed by her good fortune in meeting Rey.  
‘We’re both pilots,’ Rey explained brightly, ‘and used to modifying ships.’  
‘Thank the Force,’ Kyp could have hugged her. They hardly knew each other, yet Rey was already willing to help with her crazy plan. ‘I don’t know much about parts but there are junk yards to the north of the City. Nobody goes there except for the scrappers.’  
‘What about the Overseers?’  
‘The Overseers are only interested in making things from scratch, not recycling what they already have.’  
‘That figures.’ Crouching down, Rey peered into the engine cavity. ‘Let’s see what you need.’  
For the next few hours, Rey looked over the ship with Kyp, making a list of the necessary, and not so necessary, parts and fittings she would need to find. The four youngsters watched her with great interest, but they were too afraid to approach her until Minna managed to muster up the courage.  
‘Are you a Jedi?’  
Looking up, Rey smiled at her. ‘More or less.’ She guessed that the girl was around fourteen years old, although she was so thin and malnourished looking, she might have been older.  
‘I’ve never met a Jedi before.’ Minna inched closer. ‘What’s that?’  
She was pointing to Rey’s belt. ‘That’s my lightsaber. Would you like to see it?’  
‘Yes please.’  
Putting the list into her bag for safekeeping, Rey unhooked the weapon from her belt. ‘Every Jedi has to make their own lightsaber,’ she explained to Minna, although she knew that the boys were listening as well. ‘We find a special kyber crystal and build the weapon around it.’  
‘Wow,’ Minna was amazed, and her amazement only grew when Rey ignited the yellow blade, its soft hum filling the warehouse. The boys, and Kyp, crowded around to look at it. Asked to show them how it worked, Rey demonstrated a few moves and even allowed the young people to hold it, to feel its weight and listen to the sound of the blade.  
‘You’ve made friends for life, you know that,’ smiled Kyp, pleased to see that Rey was as willing to spend time with the young people as she was with her.  
With the young people following along behind, Kyp showed Rey their stockpile of weapons and resources for their journey, which were piled up in a small room off the main warehouse. By then, it was getting late and Rey realised that she would need to start heading back to the apartment.  
Kyp asked her if she wanted the youngsters to accompany her some of the way, but Rey said there was no need. ‘I’ll be fine. The lightsaber is a good deterrent.’  
‘You’ll come back tomorrow?’  
‘I will,’ promised Rey. ‘I’ll go to the junk yards first thing and see what I can find.’  
‘How long do you think it will take?’  
‘To fix the ship?’ Rey made a mental calculation, ‘If I can rope Ben in, a couple of days to get everything wired in. Then we’ll need to test it. About three days at most?’  
‘Great, I’ll tell the others to start getting ready.’ Unable to help herself, Kyp embraced a very surprised Rey, ‘You don’t know how long I’ve waited to say that!’  
Saying goodbye to Kyp and the young people, Rey headed back to the city centre. The walk back did not seem to take as long as before, and in a couple of hours, Rey could see the tall towers of the apartment building appearing on the horizon.  
Reaching the entrance, she hung back to avoid a group of Snokes coming out of the elevators. Thinking quickly, she decided to take the stairs instead. It was a hard slog but she was used to climbing and soon she reached the appropriate floor. After checking the corridor was clear, she stepped out and walked quickly to the apartment, finding that the door was already open. Ben must have got back before her.  
As soon as she stepped inside, she could feel the tension in the air. It bristled with unresolved pain and anguish, and she felt her heart sinking. Something had happened. Something bad.  
Taking off her coat, she hung it up on the rack and went into the living area. At first she saw nothing untoward. Ben was sat on the couch, apparently reading a book, but the tension she felt was focused around him, the Force crackling with random, savage bursts of emotion that made her flinch. It was then that she noticed the screen was missing. She blinked and looked again, but it was definitely gone. The wall on which it had been hung was now empty. Of the screen, there was no sign.  
‘You’re back late.’  
Ben sounded calm but she could tell he was putting on an act. Trying to stay positive, she sat down on the couch next to him. ‘It’s been an interesting day. You won’t believe what I found out.’  
‘I can’t wait to hear about it.’ He didn’t look at her, keeping his eyes on the book.  
She noticed that the fingers and knuckles on his hand nearest to her were red and bruised, the skin broken and sore. Worse than before when he had punched the wall in the bathroom. Long scratches suggested that he had cut his hand on something sharp. ‘What happened?’ When he ignored her, she reached out to take his hand, ‘That looks bad…’  
He snatched his hand away. ‘Leave it.’  
‘I want to help you,’ she said plaintively, meaning more than just his hand. But she knew she had to tread carefully. He was behaving like the wounded animals she had tried to care for on Jakku, tense and ready to lash out at the slightest provocation.  
‘Why would you care?’  
‘Don’t be like that.’ Despite her concern, his attitude annoyed her. She had hardly stopped thinking about him all day. ‘Tell me what’s wrong.’  
Putting the book down, he asked instead, ‘Did you find Kyp Dala?’  
‘I did.’ His avoidance of her question suggested that she would have to work harder to get the truth out of him. But instead of forcing it, she told him all about Kyp’s plan, about the ship, and the concrete ways in which they could help. Ben listened quietly, asking a few questions here and there. At first he seemed uncertain as to how Kyp’s plan would help them stop the ships getting in the hands of the First Order, but when she explained it was more about freeing the people of Exegol, he became cautiously enthusiastic, agreeing that her plan to go to the junk yards was a good one.  
‘I’ll come with you,’ he said when she finished, although he did not elaborate why.  
‘Good.’ Rey smiled, ‘two pairs of eyes will make finding things much easier.’ She tried again to get him to open up, confused as to why he was being so distant. ‘How was your day?’  
‘The Overseer took me to meet some of the others,’ said Ben flatly. ‘I found out I can see into their shared mind.’ For a moment he wondered if he should tell her what had happened. But he couldn’t, it was too painful.  
‘What happened to the screen?’ She saw that his other hand was also cut and bruised.  
‘It got broken.’  
‘How?’ She had an inkling of what had happened but she wanted to hear his side of the story.  
‘It just broke, okay.’ He sighed deeply, running his hands through his hair. ‘I need a bath.’  
‘Oh, me too,’ she said as he got up, feeling grubby from all the toxic fumes she had been exposed to outside. ‘Why don’t we share one? Save water?’  
He looked at her as if she had gone crazy. ‘What?’  
It was meant to be a lighthearted comment, an attempt to make him smile, but it had clearly misfired. ‘It’s fine, you go first.’  
As Ben went over to the bathroom, for some reason, Kyp’s comment about the Overseers popped into her head. She wondered if something had happened to him that reminded him of Snoke. Although he had told her very little about how Snoke had seduced him to the dark side, she had learnt enough to suggest that their relationship had, at first, been founded on trust and friendship, which had altered on Snoke’s behalf into violent abuse once he had Ben in his clutches. It made her shudder to think what the Overseer might have done. Unable to settle, Rey picked up the book that Ben had been reading and tried to immerse herself within it, but she couldn’t stop worrying about him.  
In the end, he spent over an hour in the bath, and by the time he came out, Rey was more than ready for one herself. When she came out of the bathroom, clean and refreshed, she saw that rather than waiting up for her, as he usually did, Ben had disappeared into his bedroom. Feeling put out, she decided to go to bed too. ‘Night, Ben,’ she called out, hoping for a response. But there was no answer.  
Going into her own room, it was not long before Rey’s head hit the pillows. As she lay in the dark, her eyes closed, unable to sleep for all the thoughts turning over in her head, she couldn’t help hearing a soft noise coming from Ben’s room next door. It sounded like sobbing. Getting up, she went to the door of his room. Hesitantly, she turned the handle and slipped inside. ‘Ben?’  
He stopped crying but did not say anything. Rey hovered on the threshold, wondering what she should do. Returning to her own room seemed cold but if he did not want her there…  
Stay with me.  
Ben’s voice was so quiet in her head that she was not sure if she had actually heard it. But she went over and sat down on the bed beside him. ‘You’re not okay, are you?’  
‘No.’ He sat up, feeling overwhelmed.  
‘You don’t have to tell me,’ she said soothingly, unsure if she should comfort him or not. The Force around him felt prickly, afraid. ‘If you don’t want to.’  
‘I need to.’ His face was streaked with tears. ‘I can’t keep all these things inside. Like I used to.’  
Hesitantly, she reached out and put her hand on his arm. Immediately, he flinched, and she could feel that he was trembling. She was about to take her hand away, when he said quietly, ‘It’s okay.’  
‘You’re sure?’ When he nodded, she asked, ’What happened?’  
‘The Overseer tried to… he tried to…’ He couldn’t get the words out.  
But he didn’t need to say it, she had already guessed. ‘He tried to… kiss you?’  
‘Yes,’ Ben was confused. ‘How did you…?’  
‘Kyp mentioned that the Overseers like, um… boys.’  
‘She did?’ Ben was still mortified thinking about it hours later. ‘He thought it was the same… that I had with Snoke. He thought Snoke had chosen me because… because of his… attraction to me.’  
Heaving a deep sigh, he looked at her with such a wretched expression that she felt a slight pang of remorse that she had left him to go to the Overseer on his own. It also made sense of the Overseer’s comment when they had first met him, the assumption he had made that she and Ben were lovers.  
‘Everything he’s done since we got here has been part of it - the clothes, this apartment, the visits. All were an attempt to impress me,’ Ben went on. ‘It’s why he wanted to get you out of the way. Then when I complained, I had to sit there and listen whilst he told me about how normal it is, that it’s nothing to be ashamed about. That there are areas of the city where they go to… to… well, you can imagine.’  
Rey could not imagine but she thought it was best to remain ignorant about what the Snokes liked to do. Ben’s face said it all. ‘Is that why you’re not going back tomorrow?’  
‘Yes.’ Ben looked weary, ‘I told him that Snoke would not accept it. That our relationship was different.’  
Rey could hear something new in Ben’s voice. Anguish. ‘And it was?’  
‘What?’  
‘Different.’  
‘In some ways, yes. I mean, he never tried, you know, to… but…’ He stopped, knowing that if he was going to tell her one thing, he would have to tell her it all. ‘I’ve never told anyone this.’  
‘We all have things we’ve never told anyone,’ she said gently. Wanting to be more comfortable on the bed, she moved over so that she was sat close beside him, both of them propped up against the large, plump pillows. She could tell that he was still reluctant to be comforted, as if he was blaming himself for what had happened.  
‘You too?’  
‘There’s things that… that happened to me on Jakku.’ She swallowed, feeling the panic rising in her head whenever the memories surfaced. She hadn’t told anyone about them, not even Finn. ‘You saw some of it when you looked into my mind.’  
‘Not the worst?’  
‘No.’  
Into his mind came the image of a young girl, scared and alone, with only a brutish caretaker for company. Someone who had no scruples about hurting her, physically and emotionally. Living a harsh and relentless life on a desert planet, forced to work against others like herself, competing to scavenge the best parts in order to meet her most basic survival needs. Food, a roof over her head. Exposed to violence that no young person should ever have been exposed to.  
‘They always wanted to take things from me,’ was the only way she could explain it.  
‘Who?’ He felt himself growing angry on her behalf. That she had not identified what those ‘things’ were suggested that she was talking about something other than ship parts or machinery.  
‘Other scavengers.’  
‘Men?’  
She nodded, realising that he understood. ‘Some things, I had to let go. But others… no. I wouldn’t. And that made them angry. Eventually, Plutt told them to leave me alone. Although it was more for his sake than for mine. I was his best scavenger.’  
‘I hate him so much,’ muttered Ben, biting his nail.  
‘There isn’t much to like about him,’ agreed Rey, although she did not feel strongly enough to hate him anymore. He was irrelevant to her now. ‘He wasn’t much of friend, or a father to me. I tried to do what he wanted but he didn’t seem to like me very much. He was always threatening to sell me to the Hutts for their entertainment. But,’ she reflected, ‘it made me who I am.’  
‘It made you brave and resourceful,’ he agreed, saddened to think how much she had suffered. That she’d never had a proper childhood. ‘But at what cost?’  
‘I had no-one,’ she said, without a trace of self-pity. ‘But it doesn’t matter now,’ she said quickly, not wanting to dwell on the past, ‘I’ve got you. Finn. Rose and Jannah. Even Poe.’  
He looked at her with genuine admiration, impressed by her boundless optimism. ’You’re the strongest person I know.’  
‘You forgot Leia,’ Rey insisted, not wanting him to idolise her in the way that she feared he sometimes did. She needed him to remember that she was just as flawed as he was. ‘What she had to endure.’ She looked at him meaningfully, ‘Her only child, taken away from her…’  
‘I haven’t forgotten.’ Ben was trying hard not to cry, ‘Dammit, I wish things had been different.’  
There was a pause, before Rey felt brave enough to ask, ’What did Snoke do to take you away from her?’  
Taking a deep breath, Ben knew he had to tell her what he had not told her before, had not told anyone. She had been brave and told him about the darkest episodes in her life, now it was his turn to share his. ‘I don’t remember exactly when the voices started but I can’t remember a time when they weren’t there. I thought everyone had a voice in their head, telling them what to think, how to be. And by the time I was old enough to realise that it wasn’t normal… the voice said I should keep it a secret, that no one else would understand.’  
‘Did you know it was Snoke?’  
‘Not at first. Then when I met him, he made it seem normal that he had been there all along. That he was interested in me. He told me that he had been watching my progress, that he knew I would be a powerful Jedi one day. And I believed him.’  
‘How did you meet him?’  
‘I don’t know how my parents knew him,’ explained Ben, feeling uncomfortable as he dredged up long suppressed memories. ‘He just appeared in our lives. I think he told them he was a collector of Jedi relics. They thought he might be helpful to Luke.’ He closed his eyes, unwanted feelings resurfacing. ‘Then somehow he got me on my own. He was kind… friendly. Always telling me interesting stories. Giving me things. I thought that’s what a friend was.’  
Rey realised how Snoke had gained his trust; even without the voices in his head it must have been overwhelming for the confused, young boy. ‘And you didn’t tell anyone?’  
He was ashamed to say it. ‘No. Snoke told me it would be our secret.’ Tears filled his eyes and he paused, finding it hard to go on. ‘There were some things, even then, I was uncomfortable with… the way he touched me sometimes. What he asked me to do. But I thought he was the only person that really knew me. I was so foolish.’  
‘It’s not your fault,’ she reassured him, hearing the venom that he directed at himself. ‘He’d been in your head all that time.’ Snoke had taken advantage of Ben’s insecurity, of his open and trusting nature. One of the reasons why he had tried to shield himself behind the cold and forbidding persona of Kylo Ren. Shadowy impressions came into her mind from Ben’s, things that Snoke had said or done. The sense that Ben had been confused by what was happening but, unable to articulate it to his parents, he had kept it to himself with devastating consequences.  
‘Things changed when I became his apprentice,’ Ben went on, unlike Rey, not giving himself the benefit of the doubt. ‘There was no kindness, no affection. Only… threats, intimidation. Violence. To dominate and control me. Fuel my anger.’ He understood now how Snoke’s training had kept him in a state of near perpetual fury, designed to make the only possible release one of destruction. Snoke had been so successful, it had become ingrained in his nature.  
Whilst Ben’s need to unburden himself had not been meant to elicit sympathy from Rey - rather it had been to force himself to confront the role his own naivety had played in his manipulation by Snoke and remind himself that he must not repeat the same with the Overseer - for her, it only opened her heart further to the broken man she saw before her. Although Ben had offered up glimpses of how Snoke had targeted him before, now she could see more clearly the way in which Snoke had penetrated into his mind at an age when he could not understand the reality of what had ensnared him, encouraged him to see him as his only friend or confidante, and isolated him from his family. It had been a gradual process that had got deep into Ben’s psyche, affecting him in ways that were still apparent in his behaviour and emotional response. Remembering his hands, she reached over to look at them. ‘What about this?’  
‘That was me.’ Unable to cope with the feelings that the Overseer’s behaviour had awoken within him, he had vented his frustration out on the screen, wanting to hurt himself as much as he wanted to destroy the thing itself.  
‘Oh Ben,’ now Rey started to cry and they held each other close for a long time, both sobbing freely, allowing their tears to fall without restraint or embarrassment. They cried for themselves and for each other, for their younger selves who had experienced loneliness and confusion, suffering in different ways from the decisions made by their families. It would have been cathartic if it had not been for the looming problem of what to do about the Overseer.  
‘We need to leave this place,’ Ben murmured once he had calmed down, doubting his ability to manage the task that he had set himself. The same tendency towards fatalism that had led Luke and Anakin to overreact disastrously to perceived failure ran strong in the Skywalker family. ‘I can’t keep this up.’  
‘Spend the day with me tomorrow,’ said Rey gently, reaching out and touching his hair, his face. ‘Hopefully it will all be a misunderstanding.’  
‘I hope it’s nothing I’ve done or said.’ Her fingers lingered for a moment on his cheek, and he felt a small shiver of excitement from her touch. Perhaps because of it, and the greater sense of intimacy between them that had come from sharing their darkest experiences, he had the sudden urge to reach forward and kiss her. But he dismissed the thought as a trivial one, assuming that he was mistaking her compassion for something more.  
‘I shouldn’t think so,’ she said, distracted by the pull of his emotions, ‘he’ll be trying to twist your perceptions.’  
He cursed himself silently for thinking that he was immune to the Overseer’s dark side energy. Needing to focus on something else, he thought back to what Rey had told him when she had returned from the industrial district. ’Tell me more about Kyp.’  
‘I can’t wait for you to meet her,’ said Rey, instantly brightening. She was convinced that as soon as Ben became involved with her plan, it would break him out of his all-consuming focus on the Overseer. ‘I think you’ll like her. She’s so kind and thoughtful. Even though she knows most humans won’t join her cause, she still wants to help them. She doesn’t want to leave them here at the mercy of the Overseers.’  
‘You admire her, don’t you?’ The situation on Exegol seemed to have awakened something in Rey, the desire to put things right. Her enthusiasm threatened to pull him along with her, if only he would let it.  
‘I want to help her, to help them all. Even if we can only help a few people to escape this nightmare, then we’ve achieved something.’ Perhaps it was a replacement for the disappointment of Poe’s response to their need for the fleet, but she desperately needed to do something.’ We just need a few more days to get the right parts for the ship and fit them. Do you think you can do it?’  
Her words tugged at his conscience, a part of him that had long been buried but which had slowly started to awake ever since their fateful meeting on Takodana. ’I’ve never said this before to anyone,’ he said, managing a faint smile, ‘but I would be honoured to join your cause, Rey of Jakku.’  
Pleased by the change in his mood, she felt reassured that Kyp’s crazy plan might actually work.  
‘I still think we need to think of some way to sabotage the fleet.’ Although not entirely freed of the feelings of guilt and shame that the Overseer’s conduct had provoked in him, Ben could focus again on their predicament.  
‘Any ideas?’  
‘Not really.’ He had not felt inspired by any of the possibilities that had been raised when he had gently probed for information from the Overseer.  
‘Let’s ask Kyp tomorrow,’ she said, wondering if it was something the older woman could help them with. Casually, she added, ‘Her son works at the shipyards.’  
He frowned at her, wondering why she had kept this detail quiet. ‘Why didn’t you say so?’ he started to stay but Rey stopped him.  
‘Ben,’ she said firmly, shaking her head and pressing her fingers gently to his lips. ‘You need to sleep.’  
‘I do,’ he agreed, but he held her gaze for a moment longer. He was worried that he was still too self-absorbed, that he was not considerate enough about the impact his emotional turmoil might have on her. ’Rey, I don’t want to hurt you. You know that, don’t you?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘So you’ll tell me when I’m being an idiot.’  
Nodding, she reached over and picked up his hand. ‘You need to stop hurting yourself, too.’  
His face fell, knowing what she meant. ‘I’ll try.’ He could see in her eyes that something greater had passed between them, a newfound intimacy borne of sharing things that had lain dormant for years. Whilst forcing them out in the open had been painful for both of them, it made him realise that if they were to be instrumental in helping the galaxy to heal, then they would have to start by healing themselves.


	35. Lando makes contact with the Queen of Naboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Given a tip-off by Sidon Ithano, Lando, Chewbacca and Prue travel to Kowack, a planet with an unsavoury reputation, to meet with Queen Melidana of Naboo. But a meeting in the jungle becomes an unexpected rescue attempt.

‘We’re coming up to the rendezvous point,’ said Lando, sitting forward in the pilot’s chair. He pulled several levers and checked the navicomputer, then looked across at Chewie. ‘Is it safe?’  
The Wookie checked all the scanners, telling his old friend that as far as he could tell, they were not being tracked.   
‘Great,’ continued Lando, steering the Falcon towards the planet looming ahead of them, and entering its upper atmosphere. ‘Let’s go and find the Queen.’  
The Falcon flew down towards the surface of Kowak, a densely-forested planet in the Outer Rim that was notorious as an outpost for slavers, and the location of the largest slave market outside of Tatooine. In the days before their arrival in the system, Lando and his crew had been waiting patiently to hear back from Sidon Ithano, who had been pursuing his contacts relentlessly to find the whereabouts of the young Queen of Naboo. Eventually he had tracked her to the Sevetta system, hiding out in the city of Scalvos. Lando had been surprised that the Queen and her Council had fled to Kowack, in particular the city of Scalvos which had a more unsavoury reputation than Mos Eisley. The city was built on various levels upon a plateau of red granite that rose out of the dense jungles surrounding it. At the very top was the Molec Royal palace, a ziggurat built of jade-coloured stone, home to the planet’s ruling family, led by the despot Sono Molec. It was likely, as Lando said to Chewbacca, that Molec had offered the young Queen asylum. Following the First Order’s attempts to crack down on slavery under Kylo Ren, Lando assumed that Molec was not a friend of the First Order.  
‘But why he wants to draw attention to himself by sheltering the Queen, I don’t know why,’ remarked Lando as they flew down towards the city, the view opening up before them. Despite the connection of the city with slavery, he could not deny that it was beautiful, the old stone houses built on and around the plateau, climbing up towards the palace at its apex. Yet it was the lower levels that were the shame of Scalvos, a shanty town of barely-held together huts and cabins surrounding the heavily guarded slave market, a large enclosure where slaves were paraded daily, chained together in long lines, watched by slavers, and procurers, in their hundreds. Many of the slaves were weak and malnourished, often collapsing only to be forced back up again by the brutal slave-masters. Prue could not believe her ears when Lando explained to her the reality of the city, and she wondered how Queen Melidana could stand to be associated with it.  
‘I expect she’s desperate,’ said Lando, his sympathy with the young Queen. ‘There aren’t many places where she can hide against the First Order. They have a stranglehold on the galaxy.’  
‘And yet we hid from them,’ shrugged Prue, ‘for over a year on Naboo. And Jannah on Coruscant. Their reach is not as overwhelming as they like to think.’  
Chewbacca mewed.  
‘That’s right, Chewie,’ agreed Lando, ‘We mustn’t be too hard on her, Prue.’  
‘She could have tried to seek out the Resistance.’  
‘The Resistance hasn’t been that easy to find either.’ Lando smiled at her, ‘I imagine with this talk of destroying the royal houses, Molec has finally realised that he needs to pay attention to what’s going on outside his own system.’  
The Falcon swooped down towards the city, heading for the east side of the plateau where Lando knew of several docking bays they could utilise. Finding one free, they landed the ship smoothly inside and started to power down.   
‘Sidon said he’d meet us in the Fateful Hand cantina,’ said Lando, getting up slowly from his seat, his joints protesting. ‘Let’s hope it’s not too rough.’  
‘Then we need to work out how we get to the Queen,’ opined Prue, not sure that she agreed with the plan to get the Queen involved. She had always considered that the Queen’s Council had capitulated far too easily to the First Order after the early uprisings on Naboo, effectively selling her people out.  
‘Indeed, I hope Sidon’s got some ideas about that.’ Lando had to admit that he was stumped. Knowing the reputation of the Sono Molec, he did not hold out much hope that he would be willing to help the Resistance, or release the Queen unless there was something in it for him. And that was the detail that concerned Lando the most. For Molec was not an enlightened ruler, or even a benevolent dictator. His family had presided over a culture that supported, and encouraged, slavery for centuries, in a brutal system that gave power to the idea that some beings could be considered lesser than others. That did not sit well with Lando, and he knew it would not sit well with Poe and the rest of the Resistance either.  
‘Here,’ Prue handed Lando his cape, thinking that it would have been better if he had gone to Coruscant with Jannah. It made no sense for her to be here instead when he had spent years searching for his lost child, only to be separated from her again. ‘You’ve been doing this for a long time.’  
‘What’s that, sweetheart?’  
‘Fighting evil.’  
Lando grinned, ‘There’s plenty of it to fight.’ Then he suddenly felt weary, ‘As Chewie will tell you, if there’s one certainty it’s that as night follows day, the dark follows the light. We’ll never stop it, we can only do what we can to stop too many people getting hurt.’  
‘That makes me feel sad,’ said Prue, tears filling her eyes without warning.  
‘I’m sorry,’ said Lando, putting his arm around her. ’I didn’t mean to upset you. You know, despite my cynicism I still have hope, and so does Chewie.’  
‘You do?’ Prue was surprised.  
‘We will get through this,’ he promised, ‘We will make a better future, if not for our children then for their children.’  
They left the cockpit, joining Chewbacca in the main hold where he was preparing to leave the Falcon. Picking up his silver walking cane, Lando held out his arm to Prue. ‘Shall we?’  
They walked out into the streets of Scalvos, immediately hit by the warm, humid air and the cacophony of the markets that spilled out of the main square and onto the streets around it. Everywhere people were selling their wares, shouting as loud as they could to get noticed. Reams of citizens clustered around the stalls, looking, haggling, and, if the price was right, buying.  
Lando pointed out the slaves to Prue, immediately noticeable by the gold bands they wore around their necks, telling her that these were more than a pretty accessory. ‘They tie the slave to their master,’ said Lando to the young woman’s horror, ‘returning them if they try to escape, or stunning them if they do something wrong and need correction. As you can imagine, plenty of owners mis-use them.’  
‘It’s wrong.’ Prue noticed that slaves came in all shapes and sizes, different species as well as humans. ‘And this existed under the Republic as well as the Empire?’  
‘I’m afraid it did,’ nodded Lando, as they weaved their way through the busy crowds, following Chewbacca. ‘Although the Galactic Republic outlawed slavery, it continued in places like this where the government had little influence. But there was even less attempt to tackle slavery under the Empire.’  
Chewie growled, he knew about slavery under the Empire, which had tended to enslave non-humans to work in the most dangerous environments.  
‘And the First Order,’ said Prue, ‘we were enslaved by them, only we did not know it.’  
They continued through the packed streets, pushing their way through the crowds congregating around the various market stalls. Anything and everything was being sold. Stalls were covered in all kinds of fruits and vegetables, dried herbs and spices being sold from huge wooden vats. Fresh fish and meat, hanging from long poles. There was clothing for all occasions, diaphanous scarves and multi-coloured hats, long tunics and delicate dresses, embroidered in bright colours. Carpets with traditional designs. There were trinkets, including long, trailing mobiles made of tiny mirrors and precious gems, jewellery, wooden sculptures, earthenware jugs and plates. Prue had never experienced anything like it before, and despite her qualms about slavery, she was soon looking around her in wonder, enjoying the hustle and the bustle, the competitive shouts of the stall holders and the colourful beings who lived on the planet.  
The streets became narrower as they climbed up and away from the market stalls, searching for the Fateful Hand. The crowds began to thin out, more expensive, and elite, shops and services replacing the busy and bustling market place. Thus, when they eventually found the Fateful Hand, the bar seemed out of place in the surrounding streets, but Lando was certain that this was the right place. It was busy, packed inside and customers spilling out into the street around it. Although the facade was built out of carved wood, large tents had been erected at the back to create several different drinking areas within a garden setting.  
‘Let’s go in round the back,’ said Lando, seeing a small alleyway to the side that had an entrance into the garden. ‘We might attract less attention that way.’ Although, he reflected, Chewbacca was always going to attract attention wherever they went.  
Pushing their way carefully past the customers outside, they went into the garden. Prue gasped in surprise when she saw it. There were three tents, essentially brightly coloured pieces of fabric hanging from the trees. Under each one was a wooden bar, decorated with colourful lights and fabric banners, surrounded by large cushions and low wooden tables for patrons to lounge upon. There were plants and trees in small pots arranged inside the tents, outside were large grassy areas with trees and flower beds dotted here and there.  
‘It’s beautiful!’ Prue had not seen anything like it, and certainly had not expected such a beautiful oasis in the middle of a slaving city. It would look even better at night with the lights on.  
Whilst Prue was captivated by the bar’s design, Lando and Chewbacca had been scanning the crowd for Sidon. They eventually found him standing under one of the trees outside, staring morosely into a glass of strongly brewed beer. But he perked up as soon as he saw them, coming over to meet them beside one of the tents.  
‘Greetings,’ he said cheerfully, ‘how’s it going?’  
‘Good,’ agreed Lando, ‘although I’d rather we didn’t have to come here.’  
‘What to this bar?’ Sidon did not understand, it was the best bar in the city, and with a better class of clientele that were less likely to be wary of strangers.  
‘No, no, to Kowack.’ He wondered how safe it would be to openly discuss the Queen and decided it would be better not to risk it.  
Sidon seemed to understand. ‘I think it was the only planet that dared to offer her sanctuary. Everywhere else is too afraid of the First Order.’  
When Chewbacca offered to go to the bar, keen to scope out the customers at the same time, Lando did not complain. He looked around, seeing that Sidon was alone, ‘Where’s Kuimi?’  
‘She stayed with the fleet,’ said Sidon, noticing Prue for the first time. ‘Hallo, is this Prue?’  
‘I am,’ said Prue confidently, shaking his hand readily. ‘You must be Sidon! I’ve never met a pirate before.’  
Sidon smiled, revealing clean, white teeth. ‘I hope I don’t disappoint. And I must be honest, I’ve never met an ex-stormtrooper before.’  
‘I’m not surprised, most of us are in hiding.’  
‘Sounds like most of us pirates too!’ Remembering something, he turned back to Lando. ‘There’s been a few more additions to our ranks,’ he said, ‘courtesy of Hux’s crackdown on Kijimi. The spice runners from there have decided to throw in their lot with us.’  
‘Aha,’ remarked Lando, ‘does that include Zorri Bliss?’  
‘The very same. D’you know her?’  
‘Not personally, but our leader, Poe Dameron, does.’ Lando saw Chewbacca returning with a tray of drinks, ‘Shall we go and find somewhere to sit?’  
It took a while but they eventually found an empty table, with large floral cushions to sit on. Lando took some time to make it down to the cushion but eventually, with Prue’s help, he managed it. ‘I hope I can get up again,’ he said ruefully, putting his cane down.  
‘I’ve been in touch with you know who,’ explained Sidon, keeping his voice low. The Royal Family were well known for employing a team of informers to spy on activity in the city below their palace, and he did not want to draw any unwanted attention to their plans. ‘It wasn’t easy but I’ve found out that they are staying as guests. Although not entirely at their own free will.’  
‘He thinks he will get something out of it?’ asked Lando, meaning Molec.  
‘Yes. It seems that he invited her here for that purpose. To have some leverage.’  
Lando assumed that Sidon meant Molec planned to use the Queen of Naboo as a bargaining chip against the First Order. ‘It’s imperative that we help her, then.’  
Chewbacca, who had returned from the bar with their drinks, growled his concerns. How would they manage to break her out right under Molec’s nose?  
‘That’s a good question,’ murmured Lando, taking a sip of his wine. It was sweet and feisty, giving him a swift quick in the throat as it slipped down. ‘Hmm, this is good.’  
‘I thought you’d like it,’ nodded Sidon.  
Lando realised that he was getting distracted. ‘We need to come up with a plan.’  
‘I’ve found someone who can help us with that,’ Sidon went on, ‘she has a companion, someone who is used to slipping in and out without being seen. I’ve arranged for us to meet her tonight.’   
‘Tonight, eh,’ muttered Lando, looking at Chewie. ‘Here?’  
‘No,’ said Sidon, surreptitiously handing over a data-stick.  
Understanding, Lando stashed the data-stick away in his pocket. Most likely it contained the information they needed about the location of the meeting. ‘We’ll be there.’  
‘I better go,’ went on Sidon, worried that Molec’s goons were tracking him. He downed the remainder of his drink. ‘Thanks for this.’  
‘No worries.’ Lando watched as Sidon left the bar, but he could see no-one following him. Hopefully his concerns were based on paranoia rather than reality, but Lando knew that they couldn’t be too careful.  
‘Did you understand any of that?’ Prue looked at Lando with bemusement.  
‘I think so. I’ll fill you in on the Falcon.’ Finishing off his wine, he looked at Chewie. ‘Fancy another one?’ It would not be sensible to leave immediately after Sidon, then it would look like they were trying to hide something.  
Agreeing, Chewbacca said that he would go back to the bar, much to Lando’s relief. The thought of having to stand up bothered him.  
‘So Prue,’ he said cheerily once Chewbacca had taken their drink orders and disappeared into the growing crowds. Clearly some people on Kowack had little better to do than drink all day. ‘Have you thought much about whether you will try to find your family?’  
‘A bit,’ said Prue, ‘I’d like to. If they haven’t forgotten me, that is.’  
‘Unless they’re unfeeling brutes,’ said Lando, ‘I don’t know how any parent can forget their child. Especially one that is taken away from them. It doesn’t matter how old they are either. ‘ If there was one thing in his life that he regretted was losing touch with Han and Leia. Chewie had filled him in on what had happened after he had disappeared into the ether in search of his daughter, and to hear about Leia and Han’s deep pain had made him feel terrible that he hadn’t been there for them. Although he didn’t know what he could have done. ‘The search for my daughter was all consuming,’ he admitted to Prue as they sat in the garden, enjoying the bird song and the murmur of conversation around them. ‘I let it take over my entire life.’  
Prue felt for him, ‘It made you lonely.’  
‘It did,’ he concurred. ‘I lost my partner. I lost a lot of friends. Made a lot more enemies. But what could I do? I wanted her back. She meant everything to me. And the First Order knew that.’ He had a sudden thought. ‘What did the First Order tell you? About where you came from?’  
‘Not much,’ shrugged Prue, unable to remember much about her training. It was as though her brain had tried to blank out the memories, in readiness for her new life. ‘I think they told us that our families didn’t want us. That the First Order was our home, our family. I mean, our life was structured in ways reminiscent of a family. We grew up with the same people, we had the same people in charge of us until we were old enough to go into the military, the fleet, or wherever they wanted us. We did form bonds with our comrades, and these have endured outside the Order. My partner, Cammie, we’ve known each other from day one. We were trained together, and we were supposed to fight together. Although we ended up laying down our weapons together instead.’  
‘And you’re still together now?’ Lando thought it was amazing, that bonds could have been formed between them that were strong enough to endure.  
‘Yes,’ smiled Prue, ‘although she’s on Naboo at the moment.’  
‘It’s good to know that something good came out of the First Order,’ suggested Lando.  
‘Yes, I know it’s not the same for everyone. Finn was the only one of his squadron to defect, although Jannah had the same experience as me. Her whole squadron laid down their arms with her.’  
‘It’s a beautiful story.’ Lando wondered what his daughter was up to at that moment, hoping that she was safe in the orbit of Bothawui along with the rest of the Resistance. ‘All of you were so very brave to go against your orders like that. It must have been terrifying at the time.’  
‘I hardly remember it really,’ admitted Prue, looking up as Chewbacca returned with their drinks, settling his large frame down on a cushion next to Lando.  
‘Thank you,’ said Lando as the Wookie handed him another glass of wine.  
‘It all happened so fast,’ Prue went on, accepting her own drink from Chewbacca with thanks. ‘One minute we were forced off the transports, the next we were in the thick of battle. I’d never known anything like it; the heat, the smoke, people running everywhere, screaming and shouting. And in the midst of it all, Kylo Ren and his knights, mowing down anyone in their path.’  
‘And this was on Naboo?’ Lando looked aghast.  
‘Yes,’ said Prue, ‘from what Cammie found out later, some of the Gungans rebelled, angry that the Queen had made terms with the First Order without their input. Kylo Ren tried to agree a truce with the insurgents but they refused to acknowledge him and disrespected one of his knights. They attacked before Ren could stop them and it turned into a rout. We were brought into quell the fighting but none of us could fire our weapons. We’d been through all the training but we just couldn’t do it.’  
‘Because you knew it was wrong,’ agreed Lando, ‘like Finn and Jannah. It makes me proud to think that although the First Order took you from your families and tried to make you into killers, you never lost your sense of right and wrong.’  
Chewbacca growled, wondering whether morals were ingrained from birth or whether someone acquired them over their life.  
‘I don’t know the answer to that,’ said Lando thoughtfully, ‘I think we are all born with the propensity to be good or bad. I suppose it’s the same question as to whether evil is innate or someone becomes evil because of what happens to them in their life.’  
‘Like Kylo, I mean Ben Solo,’ said Prue, remembering his speech to them. ’He wasn’t born evil but Snoke managed to manipulate him into doing some pretty terrible stuff. Same as the stormtroopers that do carry out their orders. I guess what I mean to say is that the programming works for some, whilst for others it does not.’  
‘You’re right,’ agreed Lando, but he didn’t have an answer to the obvious discrepancy.  
They finished up their drinks, chatting about a variety of different subjects. As he suspected, Lando needed help from both Prue and Chewbacca to get up from the floor.  
‘Thank you,’ he said to them both, leaning heavily on his cane.   
As soon as they got back to the Falcon, Lando plugged in the data-stick to find out more about the meeting. ‘Its being held in the jungle,’ he said to Prue and Chewbacca, making sure the co-ordinates were put into the navicomputer in readiness. ‘I wonder what Sidon meant by her companion will be attending?’  
‘Perhaps he meant one of her handmaidens?’ Prue told Lando that the Queen was always accompanied by five handmaidens, young women who had been trained as bodyguards and decoys, as well as attending to the Queen’s bodily needs and elaborate costumes.  
‘Sounds sensible,’ agreed Lando, who was starting to feel peckish after two glasses of wine. ‘What have we got in the way of food?’  
After a quick meal of reconstituted packet food, and a rest, it was time to get ready for the meeting. Lando decided that he and Prue would go together, leaving Chewie behind to guard the Falcon, and be ready in case a quick getaway was needed. Making sure he had the comlink in his pocket, Lando and Prue bid Chewie farewell and set off into the jungle.  
Like Ajan Kloss, the jungles of Kowack were dense and untamed, populated by tall trees with slivery bark and long, spear shaped leaves. Furry creatures sat in the branches, messily eating juicy red fruits, spilling the seeds and pulp onto the ground. Blue, red and yellow feathered birds nosily called to each other, their tails making a magnificent display as they flew from tree to tree. Paths had been carved out of the undergrowth for local people to use through bushes that came up to Prue’s waist, covered in brightly coloured flowers, and plants that resembled ferns, their new leaves curled up tight before bursting out into large triangular formations. Here and there were stranger plants, some tall and pale, smelling of rotting flesh, others which looked like open mouths, that snapped angrily at Prue and Lando as they walked past.  
Eventually, they arrived at the meeting place, a small clearing just over two miles away from where they had left the Falcon. Pushing their way through the undergrowth, Lando and Prue could see Sidon Ithano, his red armour vivid against the backdrop of the jungle. For once he had his Kaleesh battle helmet on, its curved, spiky horns reminding Prue of one of the flowers she had seen. More ominously he was holding a long, sniper blaster rifle for protection.   
Stood with him was a short figure, dressed in a long, dark grey cape, the hood pulled up over their head. They were flanked by two Palace security guards, incongruous in their burgundy and yellow uniforms.   
‘That must be the Queen’s handmaiden,’ said Lando to Prue, who nodded in agreement. Holding up his hand, Lando made a strange noise with his mouth, alerting Sidon to their presence. Turning towards the sound, as soon as Sidon saw them, he hurried over.  
‘Glad to see you,’ he said, holstering his rifle over his shoulder.  
‘Is it safe?’ Lando was uncertain; he had heard stories about ex-slaves and pirates dwelling in the jungles of Kowack, waiting to jump out on unwary travellers.  
‘It’s fine, I’ve checked the perimeter,’ said Sidon, helping Lando over to where the Queen’s servant was waiting. ‘We haven’t got much time. Will you help the Queen get off the planet?’  
‘The Queen?’ Lando looked at Prue in confusion, ‘but I thought…?’  
‘Queen Melidana has left her handmaiden behind as a decoy,’ explained one of the security guards, Captain Panako. ‘Sidon here informs us that you might be able to help the Queen make contact with the Resistance?’  
Pulling her hood back slightly, the young woman, who was revealed to be Queen Melidana, looked desperately at Lando. ‘We believed that Prince Molec was offering us sanctuary, but he means to deliver us to the First Order as soon as he can agree terms with them. Please will you help us?’  
Surprised by the deception, Lando could nonetheless understand why the Queen had needed to escape from the palace. He trusted Molec as much as she did. ‘We can’t take you to the Resistance,’ he said, seeing her face fall, ‘but we can take you back to Naboo with us.’  
‘Naboo?’ Melidana looked surprised and pleased, turning to her guards. ‘Why are you headed to our planet?’  
‘We’ll explain more when you and your guards are safe on the Falcon,’ said Lando, looking around them cautiously. ‘But if you’re coming with us, you need to come now.’  
The Queen nodded, realising that she had little choice. She had already risked her life escaping from Naboo, only to be deceived by the offer of help from the ruler of Kowack. ‘We will go with you, gladly.’  
But Prue was not so certain, thinking that the Queen was putting them into great danger. Pulling Lando aside, she whispered furiously, ‘How do we know that the First Order have not tracked her here already?’  
‘We don’t,’ said Lando pragmatically, ‘so we need to move fast. I know we’re taking a risk, but just think how much more leverage we will have with the people of Naboo if we have the Queen on the side of the Resistance? It might be the inspiration they need to rise up against the First Order.’  
Prue had to admit that his logic was sound. In her mind, it made up for them having to team up with pirates and scoundrels. ‘Do you think the unaffiliated will accept the Queen?’  
‘I hope so,’ said Lando, taking out his comlink. ‘Look, we’ll rendezvous with the fleet, and then liaise with Poe and Sidon before we decide on our final strategy.’   
Turning back to the Queen, and Sidon Ithano stood patiently to the side of them, Lando confirmed that they would be taking her with them to Naboo. ‘I’ll call Chewie, let us know that we’re ready for him.’  
‘Chewie?’ The Queen looked confused.  
‘He’s our co-pilot.’ Calling up Chewbacca on his comlink, Lando told the Wookie to bring the Falcon immediately to the meeting point.  
‘But there’s nowhere to land the ship,’ said Prue, wondering how the freighter was going to fit into the tiny clearing.  
‘You’ll see,’ chuckled Lando, and he went over to where Sidon was waiting patiently. ‘We’ll get the Queen on the Falcon,’ he said to the pirate, ‘then we’ll come and join you, and make sure that we’re all in agreement with our final strategy.’  
‘Of course,’ said Sidon, batting away an overlarge insect that had taken an interest in him and Lando. ‘You know where we are. We’ll wait to hear from you.’  
There was a commotion in the trees as the flock of birds that had been sitting there peacefully suddenly got up en masse, flying away nosily in response to the whine of an engine in the distance. Then, the Falcon appeared, hovering over the tops of the trees, which blew around helplessly in the draught created by the exhaust fumes from the ship. As Prue and Lando watched, the gangplank lowered and Chewbacca appeared, tossing down a ladder made out of wood and rope that he attached to the supporting struts.  
When Prue looked anxious about its safety, Lando assured her that it was made on Kashyyyk, ‘It’s very strong,’ he shouted over the noise. ‘The Wookies use them to reach their homes in the trees. And you can see how heavy a Wookie is!’  
They waited for the Queen to climb up the ladder first, followed by her two security guards.   
‘Meet you at the rendezvous!’ called Sidon, struggling to make himself heard over the noise of the ship’s engine.  
‘Sure,’ Lando shouted back, waving as Sidon headed off into the jungle to return to his own ship.  
Then Prue started to climb up the ladder, carrying Lando’s walking cane, with Lando bringing up the rear. The ladder swayed alarmingly and Prue nearly faltered but Lando called up to her supportively, ‘You’re nearly there, sweetheart.’   
The last to make it onto the gangplank, Lando pulled up the ladder behind him and detached it from the struts. Making his way slowly up into the ship, Lando shut the door and pressed the button for the comlink to the cockpit, ‘Punch it, Chewie.’  
The ship turned and blasted away from the jungle, incinerating several trees in the process. It was not long until they had left Kowack behind, and soon the Falcon was headed for the rendezvous point with the fleet of the unaffiliated, hiding out close to D’Qar in the Ileenium system. It was the closest position they could get to Naboo without being detected by the First Order.  
‘We’re safely in lightspeed now, your Highness,’ said Lando, coming into the main cabin where the Queen was sat with Prue and her two security guards. ‘We’ll be arriving in the Ileenium system at 0500 hours.’  
‘Thank you.’ The Queen looked tired. Without her regal make-up and gowns, she looked young and vulnerable, her dark hair scraped back into a tight bun. ‘We are sorry that we deceived you as to who we really were. We were desperate.’  
‘That’s quite alright,’ said Lando, sitting down stiffly next to Prue. ‘We didn’t think that Prince Molec would be the saviour that he initially appeared to be.’  
‘No,’ said Captain Panako, a dark haired, serious-looking man who was descendent of the security captain who had supported Queen Amidala during the Siege of Naboo. ‘He was planning to sell us out to the First Order. Fortunately for us, the Queen’s handmaiden, Sare, overhead him speaking to one of his counsellors and was able to warn us before he could confine us to the palace.’  
‘And where is Sare now?’ asked Prue, gently. Although she was still in two minds about some of the decisions that the Queen had made, her stance had softened somewhat as soon as she realised how young the Queen was.  
‘She remained behind,’ said the Queen sadly, wiping away a tear. ‘As our decoy.’  
‘It was her duty,’ added Captain Panako quickly, ‘she has been rigorously trained for such an eventuality.’   
It still seemed harsh, and Prue did not want to consider what would happen to Sare when Molec found that he had been duped. ‘Would you like something to drink, your Highness?’  
‘Yes please,’ said the Queen, and Prue went to fetch drinks for them all.  
Whilst she was gone, Captain Panako asked Lando to fill them in on the plan to liberate Naboo.  
‘We still need to discuss our final strategy with Poe Dameron, the leader of the Resistance,’ explained Lando, ‘but our main intention is to use an attack on the fleet to distract the First Order whilst Prue and her comrades on the ground try and encourage the stormtroopers to rebel against their oppressors and lay down their arms.’  
Captain Panako looked confused. ‘You don’t mean to obliterate the blockade?’  
‘No,’ said Lando, ‘we don’t have the ships or the firepower to make that a reality. Instead, we’re relying on the stormtroopers, and officers, turning against the First Order when they find out the truth that they were taken from their families as children.’  
‘We know about this,’ the Queen piped up, ‘recently, many children were removed from our people to swell the ranks of the First Order for the future.’  
‘It was that which forced our hand,’ said Captain Panako. ‘We heard rumours that with the change of leader, the First Order would resume its repressive ways. And Supreme Leader Hux did not even consult with us. They took our children away before we knew it was happening, placed the planet under curfew, and threatened to remove the Queen and her Council. They reversed all of the agreements that we made with Kylo Ren.’  
‘It comes to something when Kylo Ren turned out out to be the most enlightened leader of the First Order,’ muttered the second security guard, whose name was Neenjo, as Prue returned with the drinks.  
‘Kylo Ren is now working for the Resistance,’ said Lando casually, ‘under his true name of Ben Solo.’  
‘Really?’ said the Queen with great surprise. ‘We thought that he despised the Resistance.’  
‘He was manipulated into turning against his family by Snoke,’ Lando explained, gratefully accepting a cup of tea from Prue. ‘As the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, and heir to the Skywalkers, Snoke saw him as a powerful asset to help him implement his rise to power.’  
‘We always thought he was different somehow to the other leaders.’ Queen Melidana remembered the few times that she had met with Kylo Ren, particularly the way in which he had supported her following Quinn’s decimation of the city during her first aborted escape. ‘He was always respectful to us, unlike the rest of the High Command. They treated me like a child, whilst Kylo Ren would always treat us as an equal.’  
Discussion returned to the plan to liberate Naboo from the First Order, but whilst she agreed with the plan in principle, Queen Melidana admitted that she was terrified her city would be destroyed in the process, ‘We need to do all we can to protect our people from harm.’  
‘That is also our intention,’ Lando assured her. He turned to Prue, ‘Prue here is one of the stormtroopers that defected from the First Order following the Gungan rebellion. They have been working hard on the ground to encourage more troops to defect, and spread the word that the Resistance are willing to help them find their families if only they will lay down their weapons.’  
Prue nodded, ‘We don’t want them to fight with us, but we do want them to stop fighting for the First Order. If we can provide the spark, the stormtroopers will do the rest.’  
‘We’re hoping it will not take too much to encourage them to rebel against the leaders that have denied them their families and a real identity,’ continued Lando, seeing that the Queen was coming around to their way of thinking.  
‘The plan is to bombard them with messages through broadcasts and leaflets telling them that they were stolen them their real families,’ said Prue, thinking that Lando needed a break from explaining the Resistance strategy. ‘That the First Order doesn’t care for them. That it sees them only as cannon fodder, expendable in the fight against the Resistance.’  
‘It sounds good. But how are you getting the information to those troops and the officers on board the ships?’ asked Captain Panako, ‘if your plan is going to work, you’ll need them to defect too.’  
‘Our friend Rose is trying to hack into the First Order’s channels to spread this message across to the ships,’ explained Prue. ‘If the stormtroopers can capture at least one First Order ship, it will be easier to get the message out to all the others.’  
‘And it’s not just happening on Naboo,’ said Lando, ‘we’re doing the same on Coruscant, and Kijimi. Most of the First Order’s ships are focused on these three systems, so securing one of those systems should be enough to start to make a real difference.’  
The Queen nodded, glancing over at her guards. ‘We like the sound of your plan. To achieve the defeat of the First Order without destruction would be preferable. Whatever we can do to support your plan, we will.’  
‘The Queen has considerable knowledge of the city beneath the streets,’ added the Captain. ‘We could use the tunnels to get into the palace, where we have considerable resources and munitions available.’  
Prue looked at Lando, ‘We could help with that?’ She turned to the Queen, ‘I’ll be on the ground with the other deserters, looking to turn as many troops as we can. But we could also help you to recapture the palace?’  
‘That sounds like a good plan,’ nodded Captain Panako. ‘We might also inspire the people of Naboo to support us although we are generally a peaceful people. There’s the Gungans too, although relations are strained because of the treaty we made with the First Order. Still, we could reach out to them.’  
‘We need to encourage support from every possible avenue,’ said Lando, thoughtfully. Bringing the Queen on board opened up new opportunities and possibilities that he had not considered before. Turning to Prue, he said, ‘We need to come up with a plan to see how best we can reach all these different groups with the resources we have.’   
‘Right.’ As Prue concurred, a bleeping noise started coming from the console beside them and Lando pressed the button for the intercom.   
‘Go ahead, Chewie.’   
The growls of the Wookie came over the speaker.   
‘Great!’ He turned back to the others. ‘We’re coming up on the Illeenium system,’ he informed them, getting up with difficulty and grabbing into his cane. ‘From here, we’ll contact the Resistance. If you would come this way, your Majesty?’  
Nodding, the Queen followed Lando to the cockpit, leaving Prue and the guards to discuss, in more detail, the different sources of support that might come from the Nabooian and Gungan peoples. As they joined Chewbacca, the Falcon came out of hyperspace, heading towards an asteroid belt that surrounded the nearby planet of Makea. It was inside the belt that the unaffiliated were waiting with their ships.  
Working together, Chewbacca and Lando entered the turbulent and hostile environment, the Falcon weaving its way through the maze of rock chunks and ice blocks, heading for the location indicated by the co-ordinates that the Wookie had entered into the navicomputer. As they flew under and over asteroids, the young Queen glimpsed ships of all sizes and makes sheltering behind the larger ones and she was pleased to see the considerable amount of support that Sidon Ithano had been able to muster. Eventually, they located Sidon’s ship, the Meson Martinet, and Chewbacca manoeuvred the Falcon as close as he could to the cluster of asteroids it was hiding within.  
Immediately a light started flashing on the console.   
‘Do a sweep,’ said Lando to Chewbacca, to make sure that no one else was listening in.  
‘Well met!’ came Sidon’s voice over the channel as soon as Chewie confirmed that the channel was secure.  
‘How’s it going?’ asked Lando pleasantly.  
‘Very well,’ said Sidon with his usual positivity. ‘Everyone’s excited to have to Queen on board. We’re just waiting now to hear what the final strategy will be.’  
‘We’re gonna contact the Resistance now,’ said Lando to Sidon, glancing over at Chewie who was preparing another channel for the purpose. ‘We’ll send you the codes so that you can patch in.’  
‘We’ll be listening.’ It was a risk adding in more channels but it was imperative that Sidon could participate on behalf of the larger fleet he represented.  
Patiently, Lando waited whilst Chewie tried to connect with the Organa. It took a while, the interference from the asteroid field was considerable, no doubt made worse by the interference at Poe’s end. As he did so, Lando thought about the mission ahead. Especially now that he had the Queen onboard, he felt a great sense of responsibility to ensure that their strategy was as effective as possible, and he was able to keep everyone safe. It was no different to when he had led the fleet against the second Death Star all those years ago. He knew the risks, but he wanted to make sure that he did not put any of his crew, or the larger fleet, into unnecessary danger.  
Eventually, Poe’s exuberant voice came over the speakers. ‘Lando! Great to hear from you! How’s it going. old buddy?’  
‘Enough of the old,’ joked Lando, thinking that Poe had some cheek. ‘You secure?’  
‘As secure as we’ll ever be.’ The Organa was running extremely tight security, thanks to Rose’s continual updates.  
‘We’re here with the fleet,’ confirmed Lando, ‘as close to Naboo as we can get. We also have an additional passenger that you might be interested to know about.’ He glanced over at the Queen, who gave him a small, fragile smile in return.  
‘Who’s that?’  
‘The Queen of Naboo,’ Lando replied, ‘we rescued her from Kowack and she’s agreed to help us with the liberation of her people.’  
‘Really? That’s excellent news,’ said Poe, thinking that was a real coup for the operation on Naboo, opening up even more possibilities to reach the groups that lived on the planet.   
‘Prue’s putting together a strategy that will help us to make the most of the Queen’s contacts with her people, and with the Gungans,’ Lando explained. ‘Hopefully we can encourage both of them to rise up against the First Order, or at the least to not get in the way.’  
‘Sounds ideal,’ agreed Poe. ‘But you’ll still need to sit tight for a bit longer. We’re still waiting for the right time to launch the final push and I want to make sure that we attack the three systems at the same time for maximum impact. There’s been a lot of First Order activity that we need to unpack first. Just be careful, all the bounties have been increased and there’s rumours that Hux has been gathering together some of the more, shall we say, less discerning bounty hunters to make good on those.’  
‘We’ll be waiting,’ said Lando evenly, it was nothing that he hadn’t had to put up with before. ‘Just let us know when we need to move and we’ll be ready.’  
‘I’ve talked to the rest of the team and we’ve agreed that we can agree to most of the terms laid out by the unaffiliated,’ Poe went on, much to Lando’s relief. ‘Slavery and anything associated with it, however, is a no-go.’  
‘I shouldn’t think that will be a problem,’ said Lando, racking his brains as to what kinds of criminal activities the unaffiliated were mixed up in. ‘I can’t think of anyone who is involved in such trade, but I can check with Sidon.’  
‘You do that. I’ll be in contact as soon as I can,’ said Poe, ‘Over and out.’  
‘Over and out.’ Lando switched the comlink to the other channel, ’Did you get that Sidon?’  
‘Loud and clear,’ came the pirate’s voice, ‘we’ll sit tight and await further orders.’ Like all of his fleet, Sidon was losing credits by the day in support of the Resistance, but for once in his life he didn’t worry about it. He was supporting a more worthwhile cause. And, unexpectedly, it felt good.


	36. Planning the escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben go to the junk yard to get the necessary bits for Kyp's ship, but Rey is in a funny mood. Finding what they need, they go to see Kyp and start working on the ship, but Ben is upset when Rey accidentally tells Kyp about his fall to the dark side. Later on, Rey is surprised to find out that Ben is more knowledgable about relationships than she initially thought, leading her to reassess her continuing confusion about her feelings for him.

So where’s this junk yard?’  
A glass of water in his hand - which had been patched up with some bacta strips Rey had found in her bag - Ben came to stand behind Rey, who was staring at the hologram map of City Four she had found on the bookshelf. His proximity to her made her senses tingle, and she glanced round at him. Immediately she relaxed. Freshly washed, his thick hair falling in damp waves around his face, he looked far better than he had the previous evening. His eyes were bright and clear, and there was even the hint of a smile on his face.  
‘Somewhere to the north,’ she said, going back to the map. ‘District 12.’  
‘Let’s have a look then.’  
They studied the map together; the only table they had was the short one next to the couch, so they rather awkwardly had to kneel around it. Yet the city was straightforward enough; as Rey had already discovered, it was logically numbered with District 1 being at the centre, and the rest of the districts fanning out around it. Eventually she found what they were looking for. District 12 was located right on the far north edge of the city, beyond the industrial areas. ‘Here it is.’  
‘It’s a fair old walk,’ Ben noted.  
‘You could do with the exercise,’ she teased him, reaching into her bag.  
‘Why?’ Ben looked down at his stomach, wondering what she had noticed. ‘I haven’t put on weight. Have I?’ He had to admit that he had been eating more than usual since they had come to Exegol, the food here being much more impressive than anything the Resistance, or the First Order, had to offer.  
Rolling her eyes, Rey handed him the list of parts. ‘This is what we need.’  
Glancing down the list, Ben immediately forgot his bodily concerns. ‘This is a long list,’ he commented with a wry smile, ‘is it a ship or a shell?’  
‘A ship,’ she replied, picking up the map and switching it off now that she had memorised where they were headed. ‘But I thought we should be on the safe side. Some of the parts are looking a bit past their best.’  
‘How long’s it been sat there, doing nothing?’ Reaching around her, Ben returned the list to Rey’s bag.  
It meant his arm was around her waist momentarily and she felt a slight thrill of excitement course through her. Don’t do this now, she told herself crossly.  
‘Do what?’ he asked, confused by her answer to what he thought was a straightforward question.  
‘It’s been there ten years, I think Kyp said,’ she replied hurriedly, getting to her feet. Not for the first time, she wished that her mind wasn’t quite so open to him.  
‘That long? And the Snoke’s don’t know about it?’ Ben went to look outside the window. Although the sky never changed, it was early enough for the traffic to be fairly light around the skyways. The smog too seemed slightly thinner than usual, and he could see more of the buildings.  
‘Kyp says she’s left alone as long as she keeps production going.’  
‘Good.’ The thought of running into any of the Snokes on his first day off made him feel nauseous.  
‘We need to get going.’ Rey picked up her bag, making sure that the list was safe inside. ‘Ready?’  
Swallowing the rest of his water, Ben grabbed his jacket from where he had left it lying on the couch and made sure that he had his lightsaber on his belt. They had not met any trouble, and neither the Snokes nor the humans carried weapons, but there was a first time for everything. ‘I am now.’  
Returning the map to the bookcase, Rey picked up the keypad and followed him out of the door, shutting it behind her. The corridor was quiet and Rey felt a spring in her step as they walked towards the elevators, the soft carpet under their feet dampening their footsteps.  
Pressing the button to call the elevator, Ben regarded her curiously. ‘Why are you so happy?’  
‘You’re coming with me,’ she said cheerfully, as the elevator doors opened with a soft ‘ping’ and they went inside. ‘I didn’t fancy going into Snoke City on my own so much.’  
‘Oh.’ If Ben felt a little deflated that it wasn’t simply his company that she was pleased about, he could understand her reasoning. ‘Snoke City’ was their name for the central district where they were staying, and where most of the ‘Snokes’ lived and worked. Considering their destination, it was difficult to avoid going through it and he couldn’t help thinking that if Rey had been on her own, she would have found it much more difficult to travel through it unmolested.  
They left the building and went along the raised walkway that led into the centre of the City. Already there were a few Snokes out and about on their way to work and Ben offered Rey his arm, which she took willingly. If the Snokes paid any attention to Rey, it was with a look of mild disgust, but with Ben there, they did not approach her or demand that she leave.  
As they walked along, Rey realised how different the Overseer’s area of the city was in comparison to the human-dominated areas. Most of the buildings in ‘Snoke City’ were elegant high rises, and the walkways were kept scrupulously tidy. This attention to detail began to diminish as soon as the apartment buildings became intermingled with shops and eating places. Eventually, there were more humans around and Rey started to relax. But as they travelled further towards District 12, her initial enthusiasm started to wane and she began to feel strangely out of sorts, as if she needed to go back to bed for the rest of the day.  
They walked past some shops selling a range of different costumes for men, women and children. ‘Perhaps I should get some new clothes too?’ said Rey, her eyes drawn to a silk jumpsuit in one of the windows, the sleeves and neck trimmed with translucent ruffles.  
They stopped to have a look. ‘It’s pretty,’ Ben conceded, but he could see that she was getting distracted. ‘Come on,’ he said, nudging her gently, ‘we need to keep going.’  
Rey’s declining mood continued, however, and she decided that it was because she needed something to eat. Searching in her bag revealed that she had run out of ration bars and would need to find something on the street. In the end, she settled for a wrap that she could eat whilst walking along, made on the spot by a street vendor. After some hesitation, Ben had the same. It was fascinating to watch the process of the wrap being made. The mixture was poured onto a flat piece of metal, creating a thick, round pancake. The vendor then worked the mixture with a knife, making sure it was well cooked all over. The filling was added, then it was expertly wrapped up and presented to them, all without using any hands.  
‘Mmm, this is delicious,’ said Rey, munching as they walked along. ‘The Resistance need to come here to learn about food.’  
‘I don’t know how you can say that, knowing everything here is synthetic.’ Still, he couldn’t help enjoying the wrap, although he did not tell that to Rey.  
Eventually the shops and the other services started to peter out, giving way to drabber buildings, some of which were boarded up and covered in warning signs. These gave way to warehouses that were similar to the district in which she had discovered Kyp. The monotony of the grey, rectangular buildings was just beginning to get to them when they found themselves on the edge of District 12.  
‘It’s a giant junk pile!’  
Huge piles of junk stretched out in front of them, as far as the eye could see. It was junk of all kinds - food, industrial waste, ship parts, household, and machinery. The smell was appalling. There had been no attempt to contain or hide the waste, it had simply been dumped into huge holes in the ground and left there. A low wall surrounded the site, along with a ditch into which were running thin streams of rust-coloured, foul-smelling water. Here and there, figures could be seen atop of the mounds, sorting through the junk; the ‘scrappers’ as Kyp had called them. Whether it was their job or their livelihood was unclear. Thin clouds of polluting smoke drifted over the site, most of which was coming from a large factory nearby. If any evidence was needed of the Overseer’s lack of care for their own planet, than this was it.  
Coughing, Ben wrinkled his nose in disgust, trying not to breathe in. ‘You’re kidding me right?’  
‘We can do this.’ Rey tried to be optimistic. It would be like scavenging.  
‘But do we want to?’ The thought of having to sift through rubbish of unknown provenance made him feel physically sick.  
‘We need to,’ Rey reminded him. ‘It’s the only way to get the parts for Kyp.’  
‘Right.’ Ben steeled himself mentally for the task. It was difficult, the thought of having to put his hands into something dirty, even dangerous, made him shudder.  
‘You do the looking,’ suggested Rey, remembering that he was extraordinarily sensitive when it came to touch. ‘I’ll do the sifting.’  
Appeased, Ben followed Rey into the junk yard. They wandered through the piles, looking to see if there was any method to the seemingly random piles of waste. It took at least an hour before they noticed that there was an attempt to sort the area into different types of waste, although it was only loosely adhered to. The other humans on the site - men, women and, appallingly, children - watched them warily as they wandered through, and Rey could sense their hostility. But when Ben asked one of the older men if they knew where metal waste could be found, they visibly relaxed. Clearly they were after other things.  
‘Right over to the left, there, my friend,’ said the old man to Ben. Dressed in motley rags of various colours, his face was wrinkled and scabrous, half-hidden under long, matted hair. ‘What are you and your pretty young thing looking for?’  
‘Ship parts,’ said Ben cheerfully, realising that the old man was harmless.  
Beside him, Rey bristled, undecided whether to be more annoyed that the old man thought she was Ben’s, or that he had called her a ‘pretty young thing.’  
‘Ha ha, trying to get off this shit-hole?’ The man saluted them both, ‘Good luck with that!’  
‘Thanks.’  
They followed his directions, winding their way through taller and older piles of trash.  
As soon as they were out of earshot, Rey asked Ben, ‘Why were you so open with him?’  
‘What the old man?’ Ben shrugged nonchalantly. ‘D’you think he’s going to tell the Overseers?’  
‘I didn’t mean it that way.’  
‘Then what did you mean?’ He wished that she would be more precise, it would save him a lot of mental effort.  
‘I just wondered why you trusted him.’  
‘There we go.’ He ignored her, distracted by the view opening up in front of them.  
Huge piles of metal waste glinted in the light of the large lamps that illuminated the surrounding area. They could see the carcasses of ships, spewing their innards out onto the piles of plastic and metal waste around them. The metallic skeletons of speeders and other vehicles. A haphazard jumble of parts and machinery, ripe for the picking.  
‘See,’ said Ben, turning to her triumphantly. ‘I was right to trust him.’  
Clearly he had seen something in the old man that she had missed and she wondered why her perceptions were dulled. Energised by their find, Ben was already heading into the piles, seemingly forgetting his earlier concerns about sifting manually through rubbish.  
‘Have you got that list?’ he called back to her as he disappeared behind the piled up remains of broken droids.  
Searching in her bag, Rey pulled it out and followed him. She could see that he was in hyperactive mode, and in her present state of mind there was no chance she could keep up with him. ‘Will you slow down!’  
‘What’s the matter, sweetheart?’ Waiting for her, he looked at her quizzically when she flung the list at him.  
‘I don’t know, I don’t feel right,’ she said miserably, failing to muster any enthusiasm for the task ahead now that they had found what they needed.  
Putting his arms around her, he tried to guess, ‘You’re worried we won’t find what Kyp needs?’  
‘Maybe.’ She leaned against him, wondering why she felt so tired. Perhaps she hadn’t slept as well as she thought.  
‘It’s okay to be anxious,’ he said, mussing her hair. ‘We can use it as a reminder to be the best that we can be.’  
‘Is that something Luke told you?’ It was not a platitude she had heard him use before but she liked it.  
‘Or it might have been Leia.’ He smiled, embarrassed, ‘I don’t have an original thought in my head.’  
‘That’s not true,’ insisted Rey but Ben was no longer listening, he was looking over her head at one of the piles of junk with newfound purpose, having seen something they needed.  
Finding the parts was slow going, but when they came across the remains of a large corvette it miraculously yielded up most of the parts on Rey’s list. A hyperdrive motivator, shield generators, sensor dish, reactor… the parts piled up on the ground as they worked carefully to remove them from the ship’s carcass.  
‘These wires any good? asked Ben, as he added several fixtures and fittings to the pile.  
Rey nodded, ‘Just bring anything that looks useful.’  
There was just one thing nagging Ben as he surveyed the large amount they had salvaged. ’How are we going to carry all of this?’  
Rey pulled out a couple of large, thin fabric bags which she had borrowed from Kyp. ‘In these!’  
‘You think of everything,’ he said admiringly.  
With all the parts secured, Ben and Rey stacked them into the bags, making sure to distribute the weight evenly between them. To get to Kyp’s warehouse they had to traverse the entire city and, not for the first time, Ben wished that they had brought the TIE with them. But then he had another thought.  
‘There’s a shuttle that we can catch from District 9 over to where Kyp is,’ he said to Rey, as they carried their finds out of the junkyard. ‘That should save time.’  
‘How come I didn’t know about it?’ grumbled Rey, hoisting the bag higher up on her shoulder, the metal parts bumping annoyingly against her hip.  
‘I don’t know. It’s on the map.’ He was in a good mood despite having to carry so much, pleased that their trip to the junk yard had not been a wild bantha chase.  
The shuttle only served the human parts of the city, the Overseers preferring to use their speeders as transport. That suited Ben and Rey, enabling them to blend in with the rest of the crowds going about their day. It travelled through the mid-levels, heading out into the fringes of the industrial districts and back into the centre.  
‘According to this,’ said Ben, as they stood looking at a map outside the District 9 station, ‘there’s a stop on the edge of the warehouse district.’ It would significantly cut down their walk and save them precious time.  
The shuttle itself was, like the rest of the Overseer’s technology, sleek, shiny and smooth. Taking a seat next to Ben, Rey watched out of the window as the shuttle sped through the city, stopping at regular intervals to allow passengers on and off. Part of her began to realise why it was difficult for Kyp to encourage other humans to leave Exegol. Most of their exploitation was hidden. Lives here could be comfortable and the food was uniformly delicious. But it was too high a price in Rey’s opinion, she would not have swapped the harshness of her upbringing on Jakku for a lifetime on Exegol. ‘Look at them,’ she said quietly to Ben, ‘no-one seems bothered that they’re being oppressed by the Snokes.’  
‘Life goes on,’ said Ben, wondering what she wanted people to be doing, ‘just as it did under the Empire.’  
‘Would you want to live here?’  
‘No. Things might seem perfect, but…’ He trailed off, realising what she was getting at. ‘We know what’s wrong here, they don’t.’  
The carriages emptied out as they journeyed through the city centre, leaving only Rey, Ben, and a handful of other humans by the time they reached the terminus on the edge of the warehouse district. Getting out, they left the station; it took a while to get used to the toxic soup outside again after the synthetic air inside the train. Ben immediately started coughing and had to wait for a few moments until he could breathe normally again. ‘I can’t wait to leave this place,’ he complained as they headed into the uniform streets of warehouse buildings.  
‘It won’t be long now,’ Rey was feeling optimistic again, now that they had secured the parts they needed and by the time they reached Warehouse 67, both of them were tingling with excitement.  
After getting inside with their piles of parts, Rey called out, ‘Kyp?’  
‘Up here, Rey!’  
Looking up, Rey could see Minna was watching out for them, standing up high on one of the walkways. She waved at the young girl before putting her bag down to ease the pressure on her shoulder. ‘Hey!’  
‘I’ll come down,’ Minna shouted down, her red mop of hair disappearing.  
‘Is that Kyp?’ asked Ben, confused. He expected her to be much older.  
‘No,’ giggled Rey, feeling slightly giddy. ‘That’s Minna, one of Kyp’s family.’  
They waited until Minna had made her way down the many flights of stairs to the warehouse floor. Coming over, she looked shyly at the newcomer, asking Rey, ‘Is this Ben?’  
Grabbing hold of Ben, who had got distracted looking at the un-used machinery, Rey introduced them, ‘Minna, this is Ben. Don’t worry, he won’t bite.’  
Bestowing her with his best smile, Ben held out his hand, ‘Nice to meet you, Minna.’  
‘You’re a Jedi too?’ Awkwardly shaking Ben’s hand, Minna stared at the lightsaber on his belt.  
‘Kind of.’ It was not strictly the truth, but he did not know what Rey had told her.  
‘Where’s Kyp?’ asked Rey, surprised to see no-one else around.  
‘She’ll be back in a bit, she had to go to another warehouse.’ Minna looked at them both in awe, unsure what to say. Then she had a brainwave, ‘Would you like some tea?’  
‘Yes, please.’  
They followed Minna to Kyp’s office, Ben looking around at everything with great interest as they went through the different parts of the warehouse. Whilst Minna sorted out drinks, and Ben occupied himself by studying the faded diagrams on the notice board, Rey asked the younger girl where Riley and Brin were.  
‘They’re with the ship,’ said Minna, pressing the button on the drinks machine. There was a hiss as the hot liquid gushed out into the cup. ‘They wanted to make sure it was really clean for when you got here.’  
‘We found all the parts you need.’ Rey thanked Minna when she handed her the first cup of tea.  
‘You’re gonna make it fly?’ Minna was overjoyed. ‘It’s all Kyp’s ever wanted.’  
As if on cue, the door opened, and Kyp rushed in, looking frazzled. ‘You’re here!’ she said to Rey as she went over to the desk and dumped her bag and several large files on it. ‘You came back!’  
‘Of course we did,’ said Rey, ‘and I was just telling Minna that we’ve got the parts you need.’  
‘Really?’ When she had woken up that morning, Kyp had wondered if meeting Rey had been a dream. It had seemed too good to be true, a miracle. But here she was, returned to the warehouse, still willing to help her. ’You found everything you need?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘You must be Kyp.’ Ben came over, anxious to meet her.  
Turning to Ben, Kyp stared at him in amazement. He looked every inch the Jedi warrior she had always imagined in her head. Tall and imposing, the very air around him radiating with light and strength. ‘And you must be Ben,’ she stammered nervously, holding out her hand.  
‘I’m looking forward to seeing the ship,’ said Ben as he took Kyp’s hand and clasped it enthusiastically. ‘Rey’s told me all about you and your cause.’  
‘She has?’ Feeling overwhelmed to have two Jedi Knights in her office, both of them enthusiastic to help her, Kyp sat down heavily in her chair, close to tears.  
Rey and Ben looked at each other in alarm, wondering what they had said, or done, to upset her.  
But Minna knew what to do. ’Have a cup of tea,’ she said soothingly, putting one in front of Kyp.  
The tea seemed to do the trick and soon Kyp was back to normal, firing questions at Ben about what he had been up to in Rey’s absence. He did his best to answer them fairly without going into too much detail and, eventually, she satisfied her need for information, much to Ben’s relief.  
But there was one more thing that she needed to know. Settling back in her chair, she regarded them both. ’Can I just ask, and please tell me if I’m being nosy, but how did you two come to find each other?’ There was something about the two of them that Kyp could not quite put her finger on. An unspoken connection, or sympathy, between them, almost as if they were meant to be together.  
When Rey glanced at Ben, unsure what to say, he said simply, ‘The Force connected us together to bring balance. The darkness has grown too strong.’  
‘Then the Force did bring you here for a reason!’  
‘The source of the darkness does appear to be on Exegol,’ agreed Ben, finishing off his tea.  
‘You mean the Shadow?’  
‘Yes.’ Ben had realised quickly that Kyp would keep them talking for hours if they let her, so he suggested that they continue their conversation whilst they took a look at the ship. Minna had already encouraged Riley and Brin to help her take the parts over, and when they got there, they found a neat pile waiting for them next to a sparkling clean ship.  
When he saw it, Ben realised why Rey had been careful to find as many parts as they could carry. As a prototype, some of the choices that the developers had made seemed a little strange to Ben, which Rey agreed with when he discussed them with her. Although it would take longer overall, they decided to completely overhaul all of the systems inside the ship and replace them with the parts that they had found, both thinking that it was better to be safe rather than sorry when the lives of Kyp and her family were at stake.  
Whilst Rey and Ben got to work on removing the older parts, Kyp was kept busy finding them the tools they needed. Fortunately the ‘Snokes’ took their hardware seriously, and had equipped the warehouse well. Soon, Kyp had everything ready for them, including a soldering iron and workbench, spanners of all types, and safety goggles, lined out on the warehouse floor. At Ben’s insistence, they divided up the tasks equally between them. Whilst Rey would have been happy just diving into the work and getting started on what seemed the most urgent, she accepted Ben’s need to have a schedule to work towards, and soon they were busying themselves on their respective jobs.  
Later on, when Ben was working deep inside the ship’s engine, he asked Kyp about the Shadow, eager to learn more about the source of the dark side energy on Exegol than he had from the Overseer, who had been surprisingly cagey. Kyp told him that it lived in what was known as the Wastelands, a mysterious part of Exegol where no plants or wildlife had ever thrived.  
‘They tell us that when the Overseers first came to Exegol, she explained to the top of his head, the only part of him that was visible, ‘they found the Shadow living in a network of cave systems on the edge of the Wastelands. It appeared to them as a dark cloud, offering them unlimited knowledge and power in return for their worship and their subservience.’  
‘I can’t imagine the Overseers being subservient to anybody,’ remarked Ben as he fitted the new hyperdrive motivator into the cavity that Rey had made earlier. Watching his father working on the Falcon had taught him lots about the forced adaptation of ship parts, as well as his own natural propensity to fiddle about with machinery.  
‘The Shadow has a mysterious hold over them, that’s for sure,’ agreed Kyp. ‘As far as I know, it’s also the source of their Force power.’  
‘It must be a manifestation of the dark side,’ Ben muttered, struggling to get the motivator in where he wanted it. ‘Considering Snoke’s abilities.’  
‘You knew Snoke?’ His comment intrigued the sharp-minded Kyp.  
Realising his mistake, Ben tried to backtrack. ‘The Overseer told me he was a vessel for the Shadow.’  
‘I’ve not heard that before.’  
‘So it’s not a physical manifestation, then?’ If fudging did not work, there was always the good old art of distraction.  
‘Not exactly,’ said Kyp, who was sat on the floor of the ship, her legs hanging down into where Ben was working. ‘I mean, it can take human form but it’s more like a cloud, or vapour.’  
‘You’ve seen it?’  
‘No, no. Only the Overseers are permitted to be in the presence of the Shadow. Unless you’re sent to it as a punishment, but no-one’s ever come back to tell the tale.’  
‘Hmm.’ Ben was struggling to understand what the Shadow was in practice. It appeared as a cloud of energy, but it could potentially attack or kill too. Poking his head out, he searched for what he needed. ‘Can you pass me that red wire?’  
Kyp obliged, enjoying watching Ben at work. Yet, in other ways she felt frustrated. Kyp was interested in people, and she liked to find out their stories, what made them tick. But with Ben she was struggling to make much headway, Unlike Rey, who had been open with her from the first time they had met, Ben refused to engage with any of her questions that touched on his past, or even his relationship with Rey. He either clammed up, or changed the subject so deftly that Kyp quickly realised that Ben hated talking about himself and had created an array of techniques to avoid it. But instead of putting her off, it made her more determined to find out what he was trying to hide.  
After a quick lunch, Kyp decided to spend some time with Rey, to see if she could shed more light on Ben’s reticence. She found the young woman working outside the ship, welding several parts together to create a new casing for the power core. She waited until Rey had finished, watching as the hot, molten metal sealed the joins together tightly.  
Removing her welding goggles, Rey smiled. ‘Looks like we’re on track.’  
‘If it wasn’t for you,’ said Kyp, suddenly feeling emotional, ‘we wouldn’t be leaving at all.’ The reality of what was happening was beginning to dawn on her. Now that her dream was finally coming true, she didn’t feel excited though, instead she felt a strange mixture of anticipation and apprehension. ‘I know I should be happy, but…’  
‘It’s okay.’ Seeing her change in mood, Rey put the googles down. ‘It’s normal to feel anxious, even afraid, when change is on the way. I still get anxious despite my training.’  
‘Really?’ Kyp smiled half-heartedly, ‘what hope do us ordinary people have?’ For a moment, she regarded Rey, unsure how to ask what she wanted to ask. ‘Tell me, Rey. Where you come from, are the Jedi still fighting the Sith, as well as the First Order?’  
‘The Sith are extinct,’ said Rey, picking up the next two pieces that she needed to weld together, ‘as are the Jedi.’  
‘Really?’ It struck Kyp that she had been making some massive assumptions. ‘But you and Ben trained to be Jedi?’  
‘Yes,’ said Rey, wiping the two parts clean with a cloth that had been tucked into her belt. ‘We were trained by the same Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker. Ben’s uncle. Although at different times,’ she added, ‘in very different circumstances.’  
‘What happened to the rest of the Jedi?’  
‘They were wiped out by the Sith.’  
‘Oh.’ Kyp felt devastated. As a child she had loved to hear stories about the fight between good and evil, the Jedi and the Sith. But in her mother’s stories, good always won. ‘How?’  
‘A powerful Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, was seduced to the dark side, replacing the Republic that had lasted thousands of years with the Galactic Empire. As Darth Vader, he helped the Sith to hunt down and kill all the Jedi, until his son, Luke, convinced him to turn back to the light. He helped Luke to destroy the last of the Sith before he died.’  
‘So Luke was the last of the Jedi?’  
‘Yes.’ Seeing that Kyp was interested, she continued with her story. ’He started a new Jedi temple to train Ben and some other students, but by then, Snoke had already got his hooks into Ben.’  
‘What do you mean?’  
Rey placed the two parts on the workbench, coming to the most difficult part of her narrative. ‘To increase the First Order’s power, one of Snoke’s plans was to use the children of his enemies against their families. Ben’s mother Leia, was significant in government, his father was a hero of the war against the Empire, and his uncle was the last Jedi. Snoke manipulated Ben into turning against his family and choosing the dark side.’  
‘Wait - Ben?’ Although she had been interested to find out more about his story, Kyp felt cold dread run through her. She could never have expected that he would be hiding something of that magnitude from her. Neither did Ben fit any of her assumptions about someone who was on the dark side. He had been nothing but friendly and good-natured ever since he had arrived at the warehouse, chatting to the children and talking to her about the galaxy outside of Exegol. But what Rey told her changed everything. ‘How?’  
‘The dark side works by offering you something that it thinks you need,’ Rey explained, wondering how she had ended up getting herself into such a mess. ‘Snoke was inside Ben's head, manipulating him since he was a child. When Ben found it difficult to live up to his family’s legacy, the dark side seemed to offer him something different, a path that he could forge for himself.’  
‘So he really was Snoke’s apprentice,’ Kyp said to herself, remembering what Rey had told her the first day they had met. She had thought it was just a story to get the Overseers on side. ‘So is Snoke really dead…?’  
‘He is.’ Rey could sense that Kyp’s belief in Ben had been shaken, but she didn’t know what to say to make it better.  
‘No wonder he didn’t want to tell me,’ murmured the older woman, unsettled by what she had learned. For a long moment, she was silent, struggling to reconcile the Ben she had met with the Ben being described to her by Rey. ‘I thought the dark side was evil.’  
‘It leads to evil, yes, because it encourages us to give in to our most selfish desires.’ Turning the goggles over in her hands, Rey wished she had not been quite so open with Kyp. But she could not back out now. ‘Ben has… has done things that he will regret for the rest of his life. But,’ she went on quickly, ‘now he’s returned to the light, he is starting to put things right. And both of us have struggled with the darkness. Not just Ben, me too. That’s why we don’t see ourselves as Jedi. We have to acknowledge the darkness inside of us because it will never go away.’  
‘You’ve been tempted by the dark side too?’  
‘It’s something that all Jedi go through.’ The memory of what had happened on Kef Bir still haunted her.  
‘Can I ask why?’ She had always assumed that it was weakness that allowed the dark side to tempt you, or a natural propensity to evil. Not something that could happen to anyone strong in the Force.  
‘It told me that I was better off alone,’ explained Rey, ‘that I would be more powerful, stronger. That I don’t need friends, or family because they will only hurt me… or desert me when I need them the most.’  
‘Like your parents did?’ asked Kyp, perceptively.  
Rey nodded, ‘The darkness preys on our deepest fears. My fear of being alone. Ben’s fear that people don’t see him, only his heritage. Learning to confront those fears, to know who we are and who, and what, we fight for, for me, that is at the core of becoming a Jedi.’  
‘And that is why the future of the Jedi Order is in safe hands,’ said Ben brightly from behind them. He had only heard the final part of what Rey had been saying, and the two women had been in such deep conversation that neither had noticed him coming over to them.  
Turning around, Kyp felt guilty for trying to find out about Ben, only for Rey to unwittingly reveal his deepest secrets. Seeing him there, so open and trusting, she felt terrible, her shame and horror, for what he must have been, mingling together. How could she square her ideas about the dark side with the young man stood in front of her? A young man, up until now, she had liked immensely. It was impossible. Making her excuses, she said abruptly, ‘Something’s come up, I’ll be back in a moment.’  
‘Is it something I said?’ Ben watched Kyp disappear across the warehouse, confused by her reaction to him. ‘I thought we were getting on.’ Like Rey, he had warmed to Kyp almost immediately, admiring her passion to make things better for the people of Exegol despite her lack of resources or power. But even small actions, he was beginning to realise, could make a big difference. Just like his mother had always told him.  
Rey didn’t know what to say, or how to tell him. ‘I’m so sorry, Ben. I didn’t mean to…it just happened.’  
‘What?’ He frowned, the brightness disappearing from his eyes.  
‘We were talking and… and I told her what happened. About you and Snoke.’  
‘She knows I fell to the dark side?’ He knew that Kyp had been fishing for information earlier, and he had done his best to avoid talking about his past. It was not surprising, therefore, that she had gone to Rey instead.  
‘Yes.’  
’I see.’  
When he made to go after Kyp, Rey grabbed his arm. ‘Give her time to process it.’  
‘You did tell her about the voices…’  
‘Of course.’  
That made him feel a little better, and he tried to be pragmatic. ‘I guess she had to find out sooner or later.’ Taking a deep breath, telling himself to stay calm, he returned to the reason that had brought him over to Rey in the first place. ‘Have you finished that casing?’  
‘Yes. It should have cooled by now.’ Rey’s mood was flat, knowing that she should have waited for Ben to tell Kyp, not taken it upon herself to explain his story. Now she was concerned that she had not done it, or him, justice.  
Examining the casing, Ben decided that it was set and ready to be fitted. Not sure he knew what he was doing, he turned to Rey. ‘Can you come and help me?’  
‘Sure.’ After what had happened, Rey was reluctant, but she could hardly say no. Like when Finn had found her with Ben, she knew she had to face up to her mistake.  
Going back inside the ship together, it took them a while to fit the new casing correctly. It did not fit as well as Rey had hoped, and she worried that her measurements were to blame. Worse still, she was overly sensitive, imagining Ben to be silently reproaching her, and every comment of his became a slight or a criticism. This was not Ben’s intention, but having to force the new casing into the engine did not help his mood, and in the end they barely spoke to each other.  
Once the job was finished, Rey was pleased to get out of his way. The tension between them had been unbearable, making her guilt far worse than it should have been. For what had she done except tell Kyp the truth?  
Climbing out of the engine well to continue her welding, Rey saw Kyp coming inside the ship, a look of determination on her face. They met beside the entrance hatch.  
‘Is Ben down in the engine?’ Kyp asked her. When she nodded, Kyp went on, ‘Is he okay?’  
There was a sudden bang from deep down inside the engine, followed by a stream of curses, giving Kyp her answer.  
‘Are you okay?’ Rey asked instead, she could see that the older woman had been crying.  
Kyp smiled, embarrassed. ‘I’m not afraid to say it, I had a wobble. Hearing what had happened to the Jedi… to you and Ben. It threw me a bit.’ Sighing heavily, Kyp reached out for Rey’s hand, which the younger woman gave her willingly. ‘I guess I’ve always seen the Jedi as invincible. In the stories my mother told me, they were always the heroes. The light always won. So to find out the opposite… that someone like Ben could be turned to the dark side…’  
Rey realised that it was the same feeling she’d had when she’d first met Luke. It was the shattering of illusions, comfortable illusions that she, like Kyp, had created to make the galaxy seem a better place. In the midst of all the horror on Exegol, to know that there were people out there who could come and save them - the Jedi - had kept Kyp going all these years. ‘I’m sorry.’  
‘Don’t be,’ said Kyp reassuringly. ‘It’s actually the best thing you could have done. You’ve shown me the truth. I was putting the Jedi, you and Ben, on a pedestal. Forgetting that you’re real people, with real struggles. Just like me and my family.’  
Relieved, Rey embraced Kyp tightly, ‘But it wasn’t my place to tell you, I should have let Ben do that.’ Letting go of Kyp, she smiled ruefully, ‘He’s not very happy with me.’  
‘True. But you told his story with compassion. And even if he has made bad choices in his life, the fact that you’re here with him, tells me everything that I need to know.’ Kyp knew that she was pushing it but she wanted to ask Rey one more thing. ‘You care for each other, don’t you?’  
‘Yes. The Force brought us together but…’ she trailed off, unsure how to explain the complex dynamic of emotions that characterised her and Ben’s relationship. But Kyp did not seem to need any further explanation, which pleased her.  
Leaving Kyp to resolve things with Ben, Rey returned to her welding outside. For the next hour or so, she worked on her tasks, managing to get most of them done in the absence of any interruptions. At some point, she saw Ben and Kyp emerge from the Falcon, talking quietly with each other, before they headed over to another part of the warehouse. Wondering how they were getting on, she nonetheless continued with her welding, determined to complete it. Another few more bits to do and she was finished. Her eyes were tired from staring at the metal parts and, removing her goggles, she decided to go and get a cup of tea. As she walked over to Kyp’s office, she noticed that the warehouse was quiet, everyone else seemed to have vanished.  
Pushing the door to the office open, she found Ben inside, sat on his own at the desk with a cup of tea. He looked up when she came in. ‘There you are.’  
‘Everything okay?’ Glancing at him briefly, Rey made a beeline for the drinks machine.  
‘Fine.’ He watched her for a moment as she made her choice and the machine cranked into life. Leaning back in his chair, he said, ’I was impressed with how you managed to tell Kyp everything, without telling her anything.’  
Rey risked a small smile. ‘You mean, I was vague on purpose.’  
Ben nodded, a smile creeping across his face. ‘And I thought I was bad at giving people information.’  
‘You’re not bad,’ said Rey, taking her drink and coming to perch on the edge of the table next to him. ‘You just prefer to give people what you think they need to know.’  
Ben had to admit that it was not his most endearing habit. ‘I’ve always been open with you…’  
‘But you have to be,’ said Rey, sipping her drink and feeling the comforting heat of the tea on her tongue, slipping down her throat. ‘I can see inside your head.’  
‘True.’ Putting down his empty cup, he stretched his arms up, trying to shake off the aches and pains lingering in his shoulders after spending so long cooped up in the engine well. ‘I’ve finished fitting the motivator now, if the other parts are ready?’  
‘Yeah.’ As Ben started to get up, Rey felt a sudden wave of tiredness wash over her before the room faded and everything went black. 

She was stood in the Wastelands of Exegol, before her a tall bank of rocky cliffs, rising up towards the dark, ominous sky. She was waiting for something to emerge from the cracks inside the rocks, to take its place on the throne that had been built into the cliffs, a throne of black, shiny obsidian that was framed by jagged spikes. As she watched, she started to see mists emerging from the rocks, creeping towards them with malevolent intent. She tried to run, to escape, but she was frozen to the spot, her legs as heavy as lead.  
‘Rey, see the truth.’  
The mists surrounded her, filling her mind with images of horror, of suffering, of fear and of hate…. children with swollen bellies crying out for their mothers… dead bodies lying abandoned in the gutter, swarming with flies… slaves being brutally whipped for a small transgression… stormtroopers going into battle, their comrades mown down around them… Kylo Ren, his face consumed with fury, hacking and slashing with his lightsaber, his knights following behind him…

Coming to with a gasp, Rey struggled to get her bearings, feeling disorientated. The voice, low and guttural, continued to ring in her ears. See the truth.  
‘It’s okay, I’ve got you.’  
Another voice spoke softly in her ear. It was Ben; she realised that his arms were around her, preventing her from falling. ‘What happened?’ She clung to his neck, feeling sick and dizzy.  
‘You fainted.’ Gently, he stroked her back.  
Her heart was racing and her breath came in ragged gasps. She felt weak, unable to get air into her lungs. But with Ben’s encouragement, she took several deep breaths, forcing herself to slow her breathing down, until the feelings of panic started to subside.  
‘That’s better,’ he said softly, concerned about her. ’You’ve been working too hard…’  
‘I had a vision,’ she interjected, the images still prominent in her head, blurring into her reality.  
‘What did you see?’ Ben listened quietly whilst she described her vision to him, the terrible images and feelings it had provoked that were still with her. He thought about it for a moment, then he said. ‘The Shadow lives in a wasteland.’  
‘D’you think that’s what I saw?’  
‘Possibly. Kyp said it appears as a cloud or mist.’ He thought for a moment, then he said, ‘This is not the first one is it?’  
‘No.’ Rey leaned against him, knowing that she would be sick if she stood up too soon. He held onto her, stroking her hair, and eventually, the nausea started to subside and she felt almost normal again. Pulling back, she noticed that she had creased his shirt where she had been lying on it. Trying to smooth it down with her hands, she accidentally brushed his chest underneath, feeling him tremble in response to her touch. Looking up, she found herself staring into Ben’s eyes. Whether it was the light-headedness or the relief that he had been there to catch her, she felt an intense desire to kiss him.  
‘Better?’ Knowing what she wanted to do, he felt anxious and excited all at the same time, his heart hammering in his chest.  
‘Yes.’ Rey was almost certain now it was what she wanted. Reaching forwards, she touched his face, his hair, her eyes locked into his. She was just plucking up the courage when there was a loud bang from somewhere else in the warehouse, and the moment was spoiled as they both looked towards the door.  
‘I hope that’s nothing to do with the ship,’ murmured Ben as he let Rey go and she slipped down from the desk.  
Returning to the main room of the warehouse, Ben and Rey found nothing untoward had happened, it had merely been the noisy banging of a door. With the drama out of the way, they got on with the ship, Kyp and her family providing help, and refreshments, as needed. By the time evening came around, most of the parts had either been fitted or modified extensively enough to be fitted the next day. Pleased with how the work had gone, Kyp knew that she owed Ben and Rey far more than she could ever give to them. Going over to where the two Jedi were busy packing the tools away, Kyp couldn’t help noticing that Rey’s hands were cut, chafed and sore from all the wiring and soldering that she had been doing; a quick examination of Ben’s hands revealed the same, although he still had bacta strips on from an earlier injury. ‘You’ll need something for that.’  
‘It’s fine,’ said Ben, not wanting any fuss, but Rey reminded him that the Overseer might notice.  
‘We don’t want to ruin the plan.’  
Realising her concerns, Ben turned to Kyp. ‘You got anything?’  
‘Sorry, I don’t,’ she replied, ‘There’s some medical supplies from when the factory was running but everything will be out of date. You can try in the city, some pharmacies are open all night.’  
‘Okay.’ After checking her bag, Rey had realised that her own supplies had also run out.  
‘Look for the sign of a green snake,’ added Kyp helpfully. ‘You’ll be back tomorrow?’  
‘Of course,’ said Rey, stacking the bag of tools back onto the shelf next to her.  
‘I don’t know how I can ever thank you,’ Kyp said, embarrassed by her inability to express how much their support meant to her. But she need not have worried, both Ben and Rey knew that they would gain their reward from knowing that they were helping Kyp and her family to escape their prison on Exegol.  
‘There’s really no need,’ said Rey, taking the older woman’s hands, ‘we want to help.’  
‘How long d’you think it will take you to be ready to leave?’ Ben asked her.  
‘We can be ready by tomorrow evening, I reckon.’ Kyp had been getting ready for such a long time, she could not believe that it was starting to happen. ‘We’ll need to start gathering all the kids together, there’s some more stuff to bring over… but it should be doable.’  
‘Good.’ Ben turned to Rey. ‘Do you think you can get the work finished tomorrow?’  
‘Yes.’ They had got the bulk of it done, Rey thought the rest would be fairly straightforward.  
‘We’ll need to test that all of this works,’ Ben went on, ‘but how we’ll manage it without alerting the Overseers, I don’t know.’  
Rey turned to Kyp. ‘Any ideas?’  
‘Night time is pretty quiet around here,’ Kyp pointed out. ‘The Overseers never come here, and there won’t be many humans around either.’  
‘Tomorrow night, then,’ said Ben, pleased that everything seemed to be coming together. ’I’ll come straight here as soon as I’ve finished with the Overseer.’  
Kyp was just about to ask them if they wanted a cup of tea before they left, when Minna sidled up. ‘Rey?’  
‘Yes?’ Rey knew exactly what she was going to ask.  
‘Can you… can you show us your lightsabers?’  
Rey wasn’t sure, and she glanced at Ben to gauge his response but his expression was noncommittal. ‘I don’t know.’  
‘Please,’ Minna wheedled. For as long as she could remember, Kyp had been telling her stories about the wars between the Jedi and the Sith, and she did not want to miss the opportunity that Rey and Ben presented. ‘We’ve never seen two Jedi fight before. Please.’  
‘Please?’ The boys, standing behind Minna, added their pleas to their sister’s.  
‘There’s more to being a Jedi than using a lightsaber,’ scolded Rey, who was too tired to even contemplate giving a lightsaber demonstration, but she didn’t have the heart to say no.  
But the youngsters did not let up, and Kyp eventually had to step in, ‘Come on, kids, they’re exhausted.’  
‘Five minutes?’ Ben looked at Rey, I’ll go easy on you.  
That was enough to change her mind, ‘Five minutes.’  
Summoning up some energy, Ben and Rey demonstrated their skills with a lightsaber for the promised five minutes (and maybe a little more), adding more fancy flourishes and twirls than were strictly necessary, but delighting the young people, and Kyp, with their ability. When they finished, the young people clapped and cheered, begging them for more. But Kyp managed to persuade them that they had given them enough.  
‘You can see some more another time,’ she said, waving them away. Turning to Rey and Ben, she could see that they were close to dropping. ‘Come and have a cup of tea before you go,’ she suggested, ‘I might even have some snacks left if those kids haven’t eaten everything.’  
‘Great,’ Rey was wondering how she was going to make the long journey back without sustenance. She still felt fragile after her experience in the office.  
‘There was something else we needed to ask,’ said Ben, as he followed Kyp to her office down the drab and dreary corridor. He was cross with himself for not thinking about it earlier.  
‘What’s that?’ Stepping into her office, Kyp went immediately to the drinks machine.  
‘The Snokes have made a prototype Star Destroyer which, if it ever leaves Exegol, will give the First Order more firepower than ever before,’ Ben explained, perching on the desk so that Rey could have the only seat. ‘We can’t afford to let that happen. Is there any way that we can do something to damage the ships, or interfere with their programming? To prevent them from ever leaving Exegol?’  
‘I like your idea but I wouldn’t get your hopes up,’ replied Kyp, reaching up to a shelf for some fresh cups. ‘Whilst the Overseers are pretty lax about security, they do care about the shipyards. There’s tons of security, frequent patrols… and even if you did get inside, the machines are run by heavily encrypted computers. You’d have to be a genius to hack into them.’  
‘Dammit,’ Ben was disappointed. ‘But why so much security if there’s no threat from outside?’  
‘There were huge protests when they built the shipyards,’ explained Kyp, coming over with two cups of steaming, hot tea. ‘For years the Overseers had been telling us that we were trapped on Exegol. Then, not only did a fleet arrive here from outside but they were building ships! And not only that. Building those ships destroyed what was left of our planet, as well as any last bit of trust that the Overseers actually cared about us humans.’  
‘What happened?’ asked Rey, sipping her drink gratefully.  
‘The protests were violently crushed,’ sighed Kyp, sitting down behind her desk and searching inside the drawers for any leftover food. ‘Even for the Overseers… they were ruthless. Perhaps it was the influence of the Imperials who tempted Snoke to take power, or maybe it was the Shadow, but… many were killed trying to stop the shipyards being built. Including my parents.’  
‘I’m sorry,’ said Ben, feeling her sadness keenly.  
‘The shipyards have always been the focus of dissent,’ explained Kyp, finally pulling out a packet of biscuits and handing them round. ’It’s not safe to do anything unless you’ve got an army behind you.’  
‘Which we won’t have,’ sighed Rey, disappointed.  
‘Okay, we’ll scratch that idea,’ said Ben decisively. ‘We’ll have to come back and disable them when Poe can spare us the resources.’  
‘Tell me one thing,’ said Kyp, munching on a biscuit. ‘If Snoke is dead, who is running the First Order?’  
‘One of Snoke’s proteges, General Hux.’  
‘Hux?’ The name sounded familiar.  
‘His father, Brendol Hux, was one of the Imperials who came here to Exegol.’  
‘Ah.’ Kyp felt she had to explain, ‘I only know all this stuff because my parents had access to high level information. I’ve never had a chance to talk to anyone about it, outside of my own family that is.’  
‘They were spies?’ asked Rey.  
Kyp nodded, ‘Kind of. Back then, lots of the humans cared about what happened to their planet. My parents were part of a group trying to convince the Overseers to abandon their plans to help the Imperials. It did no good, as you can probably tell. The Overseers were blinded by their promises of wealth and power. They crushed all dissent, wiping out everyone who knew the truth that there was life beyond Exegol. Now there’s only a handful of us left.’  
Listening to Kyp, Rey could see why she still cared about the rest of her people. It was not their fault that they were ignorant of the truth. They had been purposefully indoctrinated, even bred by the Overseers, to be ignorant, just as the First Order had programmed their recruits to think that they had always belonged to them.  
Finishing their drinks, Ben and Rey said goodbye to Kyp, and to the youngsters, promising to see them the next day. As they left, Kyp watched them go with a fond smile on her face. She liked Ben and Rey immensely, feeling that their differences in character and temperament made for an interesting dynamic. Rey was the cheerful one, practical and caring, who had jumped right into helping without any ego or hope of material reward. Ben was more reserved than Rey, but was, oddly, more open and easy to read, although as Kyp had found out, he protected himself behind a wall of distraction and diversion. Both of them were good-natured, laughing and joking with the youngsters as much as they could considering the difficult job they had to do. Kyp could also see that they were equals, although Ben seemed to rely on Rey more than she did on him, which Kyp found interesting. It seemed to reflect her comments about protecting herself in case someone she cared for, ultimately abandoned her.  
As they left the warehouse, Ben said to Rey that he would be happy to walk back to the apartment rather than catch the shuttle. ‘I need to clear my head.’  
‘Me too.’ It had been a long day, and Rey was looking forward to getting into her comfortable bed.  
They walked along in companionable silence, Ben trying to process what Kyp had told him about the Overseers and their relationship with the humans, and Rey thinking over what still needed doing to the ship. But after a while, she grew bored with her own thoughts and tried to start a conversation with Ben. Despite attempting several different subjects - what he thought about the children, Kyp’s chances of getting off Exegol, and what he thought Finn and Rose might be up to - he proved evasive, answering only in monosyllables and confounding her attempts to start anything meaningful. Irritated, she decided to ask him something more controversial, hoping to shock him out of his introspection.  
‘Ben?’ They were walking past a row of shops, closed for the day. Most of them sold herbal remedies, cosmetics and toiletries, although Rey wondered how they could make such things without any plants.  
‘Hmm?’  
‘Have you ever kissed anyone before?’ she asked, trying to sound casual about it.  
Caught off guard, Ben wondered why she was asking, especially after what had happened with the Overseer. But it occurred to him that she was in all likelihood referring to what had happened between them earlier in the office and was trying to be light-hearted about it. Deciding to have some fun with her, he said blandly, ‘Of course.’  
‘Who?’ she asked, a little bit too eagerly.  
‘My mum, dad…’  
She realised what he was doing. ‘Very funny.’  
‘What did you expect?’ he grinned, seeing her annoyance.  
‘I meant properly kissed,’ Rey went on, emboldened by his response, which had been one of amusement rather than embarrassment.  
‘Properly?’  
‘Er,’ she thought for a moment, not having had much experience. ‘On the lips?’  
‘Right.’ He pretended to think about it for a moment, then said casually, ‘Oh yes, I’ve done that.’  
As soon as he said it, Rey felt oddly crestfallen. ‘Oh.’  
‘You’re disappointed?’  
‘No,’ Rey said defensively. It was more that she felt foolish for worrying about it so much, when, for him, a kiss was probably not a big deal. ‘I’ve never kissed anyone.’  
‘Haven’t you ever been curious?’  
‘No.’  
‘Why doesn’t that surprise me.’ Unable to help it, he started to laugh. She seemed so put out by his confession, and he didn’t want to tell her that in reality, he was as clueless as she was.  
‘What do you mean?’  
He didn’t think he needed to spell it out. Despite several attempts, they were no closer to kissing than he was to joining the Overseers. ‘You worry too much,’ he said with a shrug, ‘there’s no mystery to it.’  
‘There isn’t?’  
He sighed, realising that he had said the wrong thing. ‘I’m only teasing,’ he said, knowing that for Rey, a kiss was significant because it meant that she would have to admit she loved him. In her pure, untainted mind, a kiss was not cute or flirtatious. It meant everything.  
‘I thought as much.’ She really was cross with him now, not liking him making fun of her.  
‘We got bored one evening at the temple and made up some games,’ he said, giving her the answer he should have given her originally. ‘Who could lift a rock the highest. Who could make a bottle spin the fastest. That sort of thing. The winner got to kiss whoever they wanted.’  
Rey frowned. ‘And you agreed to this?’  
‘Yeah,’ said Ben with a grin, ‘I knew I would win.’  
‘And the others?’  
‘They could say no if they wanted,’ it was his turn to frown, he wasn’t into forcing people to do things. ‘Besides, who wouldn’t want to kiss me?’ When she looked embarrassed, he glanced at her mischievously, ‘Come on, admit it. You’ve wanted to…’  
‘Maybe once,’ she stammered, not used to this new, confident Ben that had suddenly emerged.  
‘More than that,’ Ben corrected her, raising his eyebrows. ‘Don’t forget when we were in the TIE…’  
‘I do remember.’ She felt foolish - she should have known that her question would come back to her behaviour. What had she wanted to achieve by asking him? She didn’t know any more. ‘And yes, I do want to kiss you. But I want it to happen at the right time.’  
‘If it’s meant to happen, it will,’ he said softly, seeing that he had been right about her need to commit to her feelings first. ‘And to answer your question, I kissed Tai, which you probably could have guessed, and Aurora, which was mostly to annoy Tai.’  
‘You must have been bored.’ It was funny to think that otherwise strait laced Jedi students would amuse themselves by playing silly games when they thought Luke wasn’t looking.  
‘We were. There wasn't much else to do in the evenings. And our hormones were raging.’ He pushed his hands through his hair, ‘Who else but the Jedi would put a load of teenagers together in an isolated spot and expect them to cope with their feelings for each other?’  
Rey had not thought about it that way before. ‘Did you all get on?’  
‘Mostly we did,’ he said, ‘but I didn’t help things by being open about giving the others what I thought was a chance to best me. Especially Voe. I don’t think she ever forgave me for that.’  
Finding a pharmacy that was still open, they got some cream to help their hands heal, and arrived back at their apartment building. The traffic was starting to die down with the lateness of the hour, and without the usual density of smog, it was possible to see more of the buildings in their area of the city. Most of them were brutalistic high rises, built of glass and the omnipresent black obsidian. It was not an architecture that inspired anything other than awe for the technology that built it, there was certainly no beauty in it.  
‘I’m going to tell the Overseer that Snoke has called us back,’ said Ben decisively as they both brushed their teeth in the bathroom. He trusted Kyp when she said it would be impossible to do anything to the shipyards without involving the fleet.  
Rey nodded. Although their time here had been fruitful, she could see that Ben had reached the limit of his tolerance. She did not blame him, the more she learnt about the Overseers, the more she despised them. ‘Then come back once the fleet is freed up?’  
‘If we can,’ Ben nodded, ‘and with the evidence that Kyp needs.’ Finished, he replaced his toothbrush on the shelf above the sink and sat down on the edge of the bath. ‘Even if we need a couple more days, I’m not going back.’  
‘Then we better make sure our ship is ready,’ said Rey, spitting the last of the toothpaste out of her mouth.  
Although it was getting late, they both went to examine the TIE, which was secured in a hangar bay close by. Despite Ben’s concerns, they could not find any evidence that it had been tampered with, or that homing beacons or recording devices had been hidden on it. Everything seemed to be in working order, and the fuel had been topped up. It was with a sense of relief that they returned to their apartment.  
But as they walked along the corridor, Rey suddenly felt a great deal of uncertainty about what they were doing. For so long she had been confident, optimistic even, that their plan would work. But as the enormity of what it actually meant hit her - helping Kyp escape, returning with the fleet, destroying the Overseer’s Star Destroyers - she began to feel panicked that perhaps they had missed something important and it would fail.  
Ben realised that something was amiss, he could feel her anxiety flooding over him. ‘Okay?’  
‘No,’ she admitted as they reached the door to the apartment and went inside. ‘I don’t know… something is bound to go wrong.’  
‘Relax,’ said Ben, shutting the door behind them, and going to take his jacket off. It was unusual for Rey to have a crisis of confidence, that was normally his department. ‘It’ll be fine…’  
‘But what if it isn’t?’ She couldn’t stop the negative thoughts from churning around in her head.  
‘Then we work it out. Together.’ Coming over to where she stood, he put his hands onto her shoulders, trying to calm her. ‘What could go wrong?’  
‘Lots of things.’ His hands were soothing but she couldn’t stop the feeling of agitation, as if she needed to do something to put right what was about to go wrong.  
‘But lots of things could go right too,’ he said, seeing the same energy that prevented him from thinking clearly at important times. Tenderly, he brushed his hand through her hair. ‘Come on, you’re tired. You need to rest.’  
As he tried to steer her towards her bedroom, the jumble of thoughts began to separate out into clear concerns, with one thing uppermost in her mind. ‘I know I’ve disappointed you.’  
‘What?’ Ben didn’t know how to respond, it was the last thing he had expected. It seemed to come from nowhere.  
Her words came out in a jumbled rush, ‘Leaving you to deal with the Overseer alone, making you stay here longer than you wanted, telling Kyp about your past…’  
‘It’s not a big deal…’  
‘…confusing you about my feelings…’  
‘There’s no confusion.’ He was beginning to wonder if he had missed something important. But seeing her distress, he realised that she mostly needed reassurance. ’Look, I’m amazed every day that you’re still speaking to me,’ said Ben blithely, touching her cheek. ‘And I know why you’re confused. I’m an emotional, conflicted mess - what is there to like?’  
‘Lots.’ His self assessment was ridiculous. She would have laughed at him if she hadn’t known it was connected to more sinister ideas that had been put into his head by Snoke.  
Ever so gently, he started pushing her backwards towards the door of her bedroom. ‘Come on, bed.’  
‘Kyp likes you.’ She didn’t try to fight him, although rest was the last thing on her mind.  
‘Kyp wants to mother me,’ Ben sighed dramatically, ‘even more now she knows that I fell to the dark side.’  
‘And that’s a bad thing?’  
‘You know I hate fuss,’ said Ben firmly, reaching around her waist to open the bedroom door. ‘So promise me that, if I die, you’ll just dump my body somewhere and get on with your life.’  
‘What?’ Rey really did wonder how Ben’s mind worked sometimes. ‘You don’t want me to mourn you?’  
‘Perhaps a little bit.’ He was pleased to see that she was smiling again, even if it was only because of his stupid comment. ’That’s better.’  
It was difficult to ignore the fact that they were both standing very close. Ben’s arms had somehow got round Rey so that she was pressed tightly against his chest, and she could feel the warmth of his skin and the beat of his heart through her thin pyjamas. It made all her senses tingle, and she found herself gazing into his eyes, wondering what would happen next.  
‘We keep finding ourselves in these situations, don’t we?’ he said huskily, playfully, unable to let her go. The feelings that swirled around them in the Force were intense, inviting action.  
‘We do.’ Reaching upwards, Rey pressed her lips experimentally to Ben’s cheek. His skin was smooth and soft. ‘Goodnight, Ben.’  
‘Sleep well.’ Letting her go, Ben disappeared into his room, needing to put some distance between him and Rey. It had not escaped his notice that each time they found themselves in such a situation, the dynamic changed slightly. Now Rey was getting more confident, but he… he didn’t know what he wanted any more. Mostly, he liked things how they were. He had never been as comfortable with anyone as he was with Rey. They had seen the worst of each other, and the best. They had shared their deepest secrets and fears, they understood each other’s moods and foibles. They could be affectionate with each other without worrying it would be misconstrued. It was perfect - and that was the problem. That meant he would inevitably do something to ruin it. Just stay calm, Solo, and everything will be fine. It was the mantra he repeated in his head, every night.  
When they finally made it into their respective beds. Rey did not realise how exhausted she was until she laid her head on the pillow and promptly fell asleep. Ben lay awake for longer, going over things in his head and making sure that he had a clear idea of the story that he was going to spin the Overseer. But he fell asleep eventually, tired out by his own thoughts.

The next morning, Ben left to see the Overseer for the final time before Rey had even woken up properly. He was a whirl of energy, dashing about getting ready whilst Rey could barely change out of her pyjamas.  
‘I’ll see you at the warehouse later,’ he said as he pulled on his jacket. Noticing her torpor, he asked her if she was okay.  
‘Yes, fine,’ she lied, rubbing her eyes and yawning.  
Her exhaustion made her look young and vulnerable, and, unable to help himself, he offered her a cuddle. As his arms enclosed her, Rey wished she had stayed with Ben during the night; her dreams had been fractured and nightmarish, reminding her of the horrible vision she’d had of the Shadow. Then he started playing with her hair, which she always enjoyed, and she closed her eyes, feeling a great sense of calm. She was just dozing off when she heard Ben say gently, ‘Er, Rey?’  
‘Sorry,’ pulling herself together, she reluctantly let go of him and resolved to get a strong cup of coffee as soon as she was able.  
‘You’re going to be okay?’ he said, worried about her. Usually Rey was more grounded than he was, but today she seemed lost, not of the world.  
‘I’ll be fine,’ she nodded, yawning a second time. His concern was touching and she managed a smile. ‘You better go.’  
As soon as Ben had gone, Rey finally got dressed, got her bag packed and had a last check to make sure that she had not left anything behind. Reluctantly, she left the pyjamas and the lovely scarf lying neatly on the bed, although she was tempted to take them - thinking them the most beautiful items of clothing she had ever worn - she did not want to keep anything that belonged to the Overseers. With one last look around the apartment, she went out and shut the door. It was quiet and she did not see anyone else around, but she decided to take the stairs and walk to the warehouse, thinking that some fresh(ish) air and exercise would revive her spirits.  
Arriving at the warehouse, feeling much better about things after a good tramp through the city streets, Rey got to work on finishing the ship. There were fewer people around; Kyp had been called out to solve a problem at another of the production sites, but Minna and Riley were there to help her. Minna told her that Brin and Jekko were getting everything ready back at home to bring later that afternoon.  
Whilst she worked, Minna and Riley told her more about their life with Kyp, and their excitement about leaving Exegol. In return, she told them about her childhood on Jakku; they listened wide-eyed as she described how she had been a scavenger and lived in the remains of an Imperial AT-AT walker. She told them how meeting a droid called BB-8 completely changed her life, throwing her into a series of adventures that had taken her to many new places. Prompted by her stories, they asked her hundreds of questions about the galaxy; what planets there were, who lived there, were there really trees and flowers on some planets? Rey happily answered all their questions, telling them that until she left Jakku, she didn’t know that there was anything other than desert.  
By the time Kyp returned, Rey was had finishing the last of the wiring and was fitting the final part into the ship. As she worked, Kyp filled her in on their plan; after finishing work, Rendol would bring their belongings over, along with Brin, Jekko, and the rest of the children. Kyp’s son, Jakk, and his friend Tinian would also come later with their families. It would mean a crowded ship but Kyp could not countenance leaving anyone behind.  
‘That’s it.’ Pushing back her goggles, Rey smiled at Kyp. ‘Finished!’  
‘You’ve done it!’  
The two women celebrated with a victory jig, whirling round together arm in arm until they collapsed in excited giggles on the cabin floor. Then they went to get a hot drink, before sitting down to wait for Ben.


	37. Pryde goes to see General Hux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pryde is called to see Hux about the situation on Exegol, although he is still sore about not being given the opportunity to travel there. Instead the mission was awarded to General Quinn, who has already made contact with the Overseers and is waiting to make planet-fall. Pryde reflects on his journey into the Unknown Regions and his feelings on Hux.

Allegiant General Pryde marched down the corridor towards the Supreme Leader’s office, barely paying attention to his surroundings. It was not like in previous days, when the building had been pristine, wearing its grandeur proudly. Once upon a time, as a very young Imperial officer, he had visited the Emperor here, remembering the dark cloud of malevolence that had surrounded the badly disfigured leader of the Galactic Empire. Despite his innate distaste for arcane religions such as that of the Sith, and the Jedi, Pryde’s exposure to the power wielded first by the Emperor, then by Snoke, had made him far more tolerant of it than most other First Order officers. But it did not bring him admiration from his colleagues. There were persistent rumours that his mind had been turned during his long sojourn in the Unknown Regions, when he had played an important role in protecting Snoke’s origins from the suspicious eyes of the New Republic, and later, the Resistance. But he ignored their gossip, for he had known far more about Snoke than any other First Order officer, except for the source of Snoke’s terrifying powers. That was a mystery that Snoke had never revealed to anyone, even, as it turned out, to his apprentice, Kylo Ren.  
Reaching the large double-doors, he realised that he was slightly early for his appointment. Instead of sitting down on the chair provided, he walked around the atrium, inspecting the statues that were arranged on small stone plinths at regular intervals. These were the busts of former chancellors of the Republic, some defaced, their features damaged or struck off. The busts of Valourum and Palpatine were noticeable by their absence, although plinths had been made to contain them. Behind them, the red wall was scuffed and dirty, and the entire building had an atmosphere of faded glory. Still, he supported the plan to make Coruscant the seat of the First Order’s Empire, it was apt considering that Hux desired to continue. and even surpass, the legacy of Palpatine and Snoke.  
The doors opened and an aide stepped out, a young woman, neat and clean in her regulation First Order uniform. ‘You may come in now, General Pryde. The Supreme Leader will see you now.’  
‘Thank you.’ Pryde reflected that he was almost twice as old as the young woman and it made the creaks and aches in his bones even more prominent. Once he had been young and energetic, fired up by the opportunity to bring order and structure to a chaotic galaxy. To run it more efficiently, using resources where they were needed. Now he was tired and he was beginning to wonder if there was any point in doing anything for the ungrateful masses. For nothing really changed. Crime continued, smugglers and pirates attempted to circumvent the laws of the more civilised core worlds, and the Resistance kept alive the memory of the Rebellion. However, these thoughts he kept to himself.  
Following the aide inside the room, he saw that Hux was stood next to the large window, looking out across the view. He was not surprised. It was an amazing view, taking in the most historic buildings of the city, with the ruined buildings of the Jedi Temple forming a stark reminder of their treachery behind them. ‘You asked to see me, Supreme Leader?’  
Hux turned around from the window, his red hair swept back from a still young, but increasingly severe, face. ‘I did, General Pryde. Please take a seat.’  
Pryde went over to where several comfortable chairs were arranged around a low table, and took one. It tickled him to think how each Supreme Leader had been very different in how they communicated their ideas to their subordinates. Snoke had shielded himself behind a cult of mystery, only revealing his true self to a select few, preferring to communicate via hologram. From what he had heard, Kylo Ren had always been on the go, preferring, where possible, to hold his meetings in corridors or whatever location he had dragged the First Order to. Now, Hux offered comfortable chairs and a charming view, but Pryde knew that he would be the first one to stab you in the back if he needed to. The view was simply a distraction.  
‘Beautiful view,’ he said pleasantly as the younger man strode over to where he sat, arms held primly behind his back.  
‘It is,’ Hux readily agreed, taking a seat on the opposite side of the low table to Pryde. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. ‘Do you know why I have called you here?’  
‘Not in the foggiest.’ Pryde always knew it was best to be scrupulously honest with superiors, it was the only way he had survived in the cut-throat environment of the Imperial hierarchy.  
‘I want to know why you have been sequestered in the Unknown Regions for all those years.’ He paused, his pale eyes regarding Pryde with fascination. ‘The real reason.’  
‘We were protecting the planet Exegol from being discovered by the Republic,’ said Pryde evenly, not daring to take his eyes away from Hux’s face. ‘As I told you before.’  
‘And you knew what was on Exegol?’  
‘Apart from very basic information, no.’  
‘And what was that information?’  
‘With respect, Supreme Leader, I put all these details in a report…’  
‘I don’t have time to read reports,’ said Hux crisply, shifting his legs, ‘which is why I called you here. To tell me what was in the report.’  
Pryde sighed. ‘Exegol is the source of a mysterious energy, strong in the dark side. Palpatine knew of its existence, which is why he told Gallius Rex to send the remnants of the Empire there following its self-destruction at the Battle of Jakku. But what he did not know, is that the dark side energy there conferred its powers upon a select race known only as the Overseers.’  
‘And Snoke was one of these… Overseers?’  
‘Yes. He was the most powerful, a vessel for the dark side so to speak. As you know, what became the First Order desperately needed resources. Admiral Sloane invited Snoke to become one of the leaders of the First Order because of the resources that would be available to them on Exegol and… there may have been some influence on his part.’  
‘What do you mean?’ Hux looked confused, ‘Snoke used the Force to persuade Sloane?’  
‘I believe so,’ said Pryde. ‘The star around Exegol is dying. Snoke needed a way to escape the confines of his environment. He wanted power and he used everything at his disposal to get it.’  
‘That would explain a great many things,’ said Hux. He had only been a child when the remnants of the Empire, under Sloane, had fled into the Unknown Regions, but he remembered the arrival of Snoke. ‘Snoke often used his influence to get what he wanted. But why did he keep Exegol a secret? What is there that is so important to the survival of the First Order?’  
‘I believe it is this dark energy, Supreme Leader,’ said Pryde. ‘Their entire planet thrives on it, it is the source of their power and their ability to provide the ships and munitions that the First Order have survived on for all these years. Snoke knew that if the Republic found out about this power, they would try to destroy it.’  
‘And by extension, destroy him,’ Hux mused. ‘Ironic then, that it was his own creation, Kylo Ren, that destroyed him.’  
‘As far as I know, the apprentice always destroys the master,’ Pryde went on, ‘at least in the Sith doctrine.’  
‘Well, that supernatural mumbo-jumbo is best left where the Sith ended up,’ said Hux, getting up as a light started to flash on his desk. ‘Extinct, along with the Jedi.’ Going over to his desk, he looked at who was contacting him. ‘It’s Quinn.’  
‘How convenient,’ muttered Pryde, still sore that Hux had sent a rival officer rather than him to Exegol.  
‘General Quinn,’ said Hux agreeably, as the hologram of the officer appeared, transmitted poorly because of the interference from the Unknown Regions. ‘What have you found?’  
‘We have arrived on Exegol, Supreme Leader,’ said Quinn, the hologram shimmering and buzzing with interference, ‘and what we have to tell you is most interesting. We have made contact with a being known as the Overseer. He is in charge of one of the cities here.’  
‘Excellent,’ said Hux, ‘I’ve just been talking with Pryde, and it seems that Snoke was an Overseer, a very powerful one.’  
‘That would seem to be the case,’ agreed Quinn, ‘the Overseer we have reached is the same species as Snoke. Along with the Overseers, who make up the superior race on Exegol, humans have settled on the planet, although they did not originate here. But what is most important, Supreme Leader, is that the Overseers have been developing a range of ships for the exclusive use of the First Order. The Overseers have spent many years developing their technology to most impressive heights.’  
This was good news, considering their chronic need for resources. ‘How many ships?’  
‘There are nearly five hundred ships scheduled for production,’ said Quinn. ‘Two are ready for service, with forty in the final stages of completion.’  
‘Five hundred ships?’ gasped Pryde, getting up from his seat and staring at his leader. ‘That would make us invincible.’  
‘But that is not all,’ continued Quinn, ‘you should see the firepower on these things. Each ship is equipped with an axial super laser which is capable of destroying an entire planet.’  
‘An entire planet?’ Hux rubbed his hands, ’It would not only make us invincible, it would obliterate all opposition to us, including the puny Resistance.’ He turned back to the hologram of Quinn, ‘And you say that these ships are for the sole use of the First Order?’  
‘I did, Supreme Leader. So the Overseer assures me. Each ship comes equipped with personnel too. The Overseers have been breeding humans on Exegol for several decades, having developed superior cloning and breeding techniques. They are by all accounts very obedient as the Overseers have been adapting the genes and DNA codes of the humans to suit their purposes.’  
It was too good to be true. ‘And do the Overseers ask for anything in return?’  
‘Only that Snoke’s promise to them is fulfilled. Exegol’s natural resources were destroyed by the technological developments necessary to produce the ships and armaments demanded by the First Order, and Snoke agreed that he would find a new planet for the Overseers to colonise once he had taken control of the galaxy.’  
‘That shouldn’t be too hard to achieve,’ Hux said, amused that the Overseers wanted so little in return. ‘Thank you Quinn for providing this timely report.’  
‘We are meeting with the Overseer in person once we make planetfall,’ explained Quinn, ‘and I will update you, Supreme Leader, once we find out more.’  
‘Excellent, thank you General Quinn.’ The hologram switched off, leaving Hux greedily contemplating what he could achieve with the resources obtained from Exegol.  
‘Exegol is more than the origin planet of Snoke,’ murmured Pryde, equally impressed by Quinn’s report. ‘It’s the blueprint for the entire First Order.’  
‘Exactly,’ said Hux, sitting down in the chair behind the desk. ‘The strong will always rise to the top. Take Sloane, for example. She believed herself to be strong but her ideas were bankrupt. She had no idea how to take the Empire into a new direction, despite her inflated sense of self importance. But Snoke… he knew what was needed. Technological superiority, early indoctrination and all resources diverted towards military and fleet. That was the blueprint for the First Order’s success, whatever Kylo Ren and his miserable sycophants like Griss and Engell try to claim. And now, with these ships, we shall be back on track. No system will dare to defy us now, not with that technology at our fingertips. And once we have subdued this galaxy, we will move on to the next.’ Waving his hand, he dismissed Pryde. ‘Thank you for your time, Allegiant General. Once I have been updated by Quinn I will call a meeting of the High Command to discuss how we take our plans forward.’  
‘Very good, Supreme Leader.’ Bowing politely, Pryde left the office, a slightly bitter taste in his mouth. He should have been the one to have uncovered the mystery of Exegol, after all, he had been part of the original expedition party led by Sloane and Brendol Hux that had risked life and limb to travel into the Unknown Regions. Armitage had been nothing then, the bastard son of a mad Imperial, bizarrely protected by Sloane - something which had not done her any good as Hux was rumoured to have had her murdered once her use to him had gone. But somehow he had clawed his way up the ranks, right to the top. ‘Perhaps I should admire him?’ thought Pryde as he made his way back along the dismal corridors of the former Senate building, back to his office. But try as he might, he could not bring himself to do it. Like Kylo Ren, Snoke, and Palpatine before him, Hux did not even attempt to inspire loyalty, he demanded it and expected everyone to follow. And cynical officers like Pryde had no time for that anymore. He wanted to know why the cause was important, why he should be expected to follow. Otherwise, as he admitted to himself, he would find one that encouraged him to know why.


	38. Getting ready to leave Exegol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After visiting the Overseer for the last time, Ben joins Kyp and Rey at the warehouse. They make the finishing touches to the ship and take it for a test run, which reveals that their wiring is not quite up to scratch. Whilst they repair the damage, Kyp's extended family arrives at the warehouse, excited to be finally leaving Exegol.

It was late afternoon when the TIE appeared in the sky above the warehouse, Ben landing it in an empty building nearby to avoid detection. Rey went to meet him, eager to find out how the Overseer had taken the news about him leaving.  
‘Not very well,’ he replied, as he climbed out of the cockpit. ‘He tried every excuse to get me to stay here. He even threatened to contact Snoke. But I managed to dissuade him.’  
‘He had to let you go in the end.’ That did not bode well for Rey as they walked over to the warehouse. The Overseer’s feelings about Ben were another concern to add to a long list.  
‘Of course,’ said Ben, waiting whilst Rey pulled back the plank of wood that allowed them entry, and following her inside. ‘He can’t force me to stay here, however much he wants to. But it does mean we need to leave as soon as we can. In case he decides to come looking for me.’   
‘You think he will?’ asked Rey in alarm.  
‘Who knows? But we have to be prepared for it.’ He looked over at Kyp, who was coming to meet them. ‘When are your family arriving?’  
‘Late evening, by the time everyone’s finished work and they’ve all been rounded up.’ Immediately Kyp could see that something was wrong, and she wondered what she should do.  
Ben thought the timing was too tight. ‘Can we test the ship now?’  
‘It might attract attention,’ warned Kyp and Rey was also reluctant, thinking he was rushing things.  
‘We have to take the risk,’ countered Ben. ‘If there are any problems it’s better to identify them sooner, rather than later.’ He was feeling uneasy, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach that had started ever since he had first met the Overseer that morning. As if something bad was going to happen.  
‘You’re right,’ Rey conceded, knowing that if there was a serious problem, it could set them back by more than a few hours. ‘I’ll get the ship warmed up. Ben, Kyp, can you go check it’s clear outside?’  
‘Sure.’  
The warehouse had large doors that folded open at the back, the only way that the ship could leave. While Rey disappeared into the ship, Ben and Kyp slipped outside. As well as checking around for evidence of human, or Overseer activity, Ben was keen to check the available clearance between the ship and surrounding buildings.  
‘It looks a bit tight,’ he grumbled when he saw how little there was to work with.  
‘There’s no other way to get the ship out,’ commented Kyp, worrying about him. He seemed so jittery. ‘Unless you want to take the roof off?’  
That finally got a smile from Ben, ‘Okay, okay, it’s not that bad.’ He recognised that he was in one of his agitated moods and he tried his best to calm himself down.  
‘There’s no one around. We should be okay.’ Kyp scanned the area, seeing nothing but the grubby wasteland and abandoned buildings that formed the constant backdrop to the tedium of her life on Exegol. The lamplights shone on empty streets, above them were empty skies; as a rule people did not come around here unless they had to. Not from a sense of danger, but because there really was no reason.  
As they went back inside, making sure that the doors were securely fastened, Ben noticed some old fuel containers lined up outside. ‘Do we have enough fuel for the ship?’  
Kyp nodded, ‘I think so. There’s more inside.’  
Whilst Kyp made sure that the fuel levels were at maximum, Ben went to join Rey in the cockpit. It was taking a while to power up and Rey felt anxious as Ben took his seat. ‘I hope this works.’  
‘Hang on,’ said Ben, familiarising himself with the controls, ‘I thought I was the pessimistic one!’  
They sat for a moment more, and Rey contemplated going to check the engine, when suddenly the ship decided that it was going to do as it was told. Finally, the console sprang into life, a loud hum filling the cockpit.  
Rey smiled broadly, ‘At last!’  
‘Baby’s a bit temperamental, that’s all,’ said Ben, patting the console tenderly, ‘aren’t you?’  
‘Since when do you talk to ships?’ frowned Rey, flicking the switches to start the flight sequence.  
‘Like, always,’ scoffed Ben, making sure that the various scopes were staying level. ‘Come on, you’ve flown the Falcon.’  
‘I thought that was the exception,’ Rey rolled her eyes. There was something about that ship which demanded you engage with its various personalities, just to make sure it did not go to war with itself.  
‘Looks like everything is working,’ said Ben, steeling himself in case of disappointment. ‘Let’s see what this baby can do.’  
Pushing the levers forward, Rey sat with baited breath as the ship began to lift, slowly at first, then gathering speed as the thrusters kicked in. Dust flew up around them, lain undisturbed for years, the exhaust gases from the ship sending it into huge clouds that obscured their view.   
‘This is not good,’ Ben wondered why they hadn’t thought to get the floor swept.  
But it was not long until the dust died down and, carefully, they manoeuvred the ship out of the back doors of the warehouse. As Ben had feared, it was a tight squeeze but they managed it by keeping the ship steady. Then, they were up in the air. Keeping low, away from the busy skyways of nearby districts, they flew over warehouses and out into the surrounding desert, checking the scopes constantly to make sure that none of their new additions were malfunctioning or sparking out.  
‘Looks like everything’s working,’ said Rey tentatively, glancing over to Ben. He was concentrating hard on the readouts, chewing on his lip. It made all her nerves tingle, and she had to look away.  
‘Don’t jinx it,’ he frowned, but privately he had to admit that things were looking good.  
They had turned the ship around, and were returning to the warehouse, when a red light started to flash on the console.  
‘What’s that?’ yelped Ben. Red lights were never good, but this was a particularly bad time, coming just as they were preparing to manoeuvre the ship back through the warehouse doors.  
‘Shit!’ said Rey, immediately jumping out of her seat and running out of the cockpit, ‘That’s the main power core!’  
‘I knew she would jinx it.’ Switching to the auxiliary engines, Ben landed the ship back inside the warehouse and went to find Rey as soon as it was secured. Down in the engine well, already she had found, and isolated, the problem. Lying down on his stomach, he hung off the edge of the floor and peered into the small, cramped space where she was working. ‘What was it?’  
‘Bad wires,’ said Rey, doing her best to pull everything out.  
‘Wires or wiring?’  
‘A bit of both,’ she said, popping her head out. ‘Can you pass me that spanner?’  
‘So how did it go?’ asked Kyp when Ben and Rey finally emerged from the ship, looking hot and bothered. She and the youngsters had watched the flight test from a safe distance, excited to see that Ben and Rey’s hard work seemed to have paid off.  
‘Not good,’ admitted Rey, as Ben continued over to the pile of un-used parts and wires. She scratched at a small cut on her neck, where she had caught herself whilst down inside the engine well. ‘We need to stabilise the power core otherwise you won’t be leaving any time soon.’  
‘What do you need?’ asked Kyp, feeling disillusioned. It had seemed a little too good to be true.  
‘Just time,’ Rey called back, going over to join Ben. ‘We’ve isolated the problem.’  
Taking a pile of wires and fixtures into the ship, Ben and Rey worked hard to fix the problem, only pausing briefly to meet the rest of Kyp’s family and friends when they arrived. By then, the warehouse was a hubbub of noise and laughter, excitement and anticipation. Children played games around the ship and ran along the gantries, whilst the adults chatted amongst themselves, checking that they had everything they needed for their journey. In-between them all, Kyp was a whirlwind of enthusiasm and problem-solving, getting people cups of tea when they needed them, soothing over-excited children, and tending to over-anxious adults.  
Down in the engine well, Rey secured the last fitting. ‘That’s it.’  
‘Finally,’ Ben was squeezed in beside her, both of them wanting to make sure that they had done things properly this time. It had been difficult working in such close proximity to each other but they managed to stay focused. ‘What’s next?’  
‘Make sure that the co-ordinates for the nebula are entered into the navi-computer,’ said Rey as she climbed out of the well and back onto the floor of the cabin. ‘Oh and we need to give Kyp those codes.’  
‘What codes?’ Ben eased his tired and aching limbs back into a more comfortable position, before following Rey into the cockpit.  
‘The ones Kyp needs to make contact with the Resistance.’  
‘Right, they’re here somewhere.’ They had advised Kyp to find a safe port first on the other side of the nebula before contacting the Resistance. Without any up-to-date knowledge of Poe’s strategy, they had no idea what she would be flying into.  
‘Somewhere like Takodana might be good?’ Yawning, Rey tried to concentrate on what she was doing. But it was proving difficult, she had barely stopped all day.  
‘Yeah,’ said Ben, looking at her tenderly. What he really wanted to do was take her in his arms and go and lie down with her somewhere warm until it was all over. But he put such selfish thoughts to the back of his mind. ‘We’re nearly there.’  
Rey leaned back in her chair. ‘I wonder what we’ll go back to?’  
‘Who knows?’ They had been too busy to contact Poe over the past few days, an oversight which Ben was regretting now. But there was no point dwelling on it. ‘Come on, let’s get this finished. Then we can go and get a drink.’  
When Kyp came an hour later to ask them if they wanted a hot drink, realising that with everything else going on she had forgotten about them, she found Rey and Ben fast asleep in their respective chairs. Rey was curled up tight, her head on the console, a thin stream of saliva hanging out of the corner of her mouth, while Ben was lying against the chair, his head lolling back and his mouth open, snoring softly.  
‘Poor things.’ Covering them both up with blankets, Kyp stole out of the ship.


	39. General Quinn meets with the Overseers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Quinn arrives on Exegol and meets with the Overseers. It is not long before Ben and Rey's deception starts to unravel, and with the knowledge that Kylo Ren is on Exegol, Quinn and the Overseers join forces to find him, and the scavenger.

‘Greetings, General Quinn of the First Order. We are very pleased to welcome you to our City.’   
The Overseer of City Seven was waiting for the General at the bottom of the gangplank of the command ship, resplendent in a robe of dark blue satin that was fringed with brightly-coloured embroidery. He was flanked by several security guards, lined up neatly, their uniforms as shiny and clean as the stormtroopers that accompanied Quinn.  
Behind him rose a colossal building, up a huge flight of stairs formed of shiny black obsidian. The building itself was made of the same material. It was tall and rectangular at the bottom, then increased in size about halfway up continuing in this design until the very top which was lost in the thick clouds that hung over the city. It was the headquarters of the Overseer in this part of the city and it seemed to loom over everything else around it.  
The resemblance to Snoke was uncanny, and Quinn experienced a sense of deja vu. He could have been meeting with his former leader. ‘Thank you, we are very pleased to be here. I must say, your city is very impressive.’ Although he would not admit it, privately Quinn was very pleased to be back on solid ground. Steering the Star Destroyer through the nebula had been a hellish journey, even with the exact co-ordinates that had been supplied by the Overseer. Now he looked around him with interest, taking in the grand buildings and elegant walkways of City Seven.  
‘We would be very pleased to take you on a tour of the city, if you would so wish?’ replied the Overseer, indicating his speeder, parked on a landing pad very close by. ‘Or we can go straight to the ship yards?’  
‘I would prefer to visit the ship yards,’ he said, thinking that whilst a tour of the city would be a pleasant distraction, time was of the essence. ‘The Supreme Leader would be most interested to see what you have been preparing for us all these years.’  
‘Indeed, we expected he would.’ The Overseer snapped his fingers, indicating for his aides to prepare the speeder. ‘In that case we need to contact the Overseer of City Four where the chief shipyards are located. That is where the ships are being built. Please, come this way.’  
General Quinn went with the Overseer to his ornate offices in the huge shiny building, taking with him a small retinue of officers and stormtroopers, the rest waiting with the ship for further instructions. It took a while for the Overseer to contact his counterpart in City Four, who was neglecting to answer his calls despite it being the most urgent of summons. Most apologetic, in the meantime the Overseer of Seven chatted to Quinn about the state of the galaxy, asking him a great deal of questions about the strategy of the First Order, and the challenges they were facing in bringing peace and prosperity to its citizens. Finally, the connection was made, and a towering hologram of Overseer Four appeared in Seven’s office.  
The Overseer was most apologetic for his absence; indeed, although he did not say why, he had come straight from his failed attempt to persuade Kylo Ren to remain on Exegol. Thinking that the young man would be pliable in his hands, he’d had a rude awakening, and was feeling sore at the effort he had put in with Kylo Ren, only to have it rebuffed. However, he was even more astounded to find that another member of the First Order had been sent to liaise with them just as Snoke’s apprentice was returning to his Master. Clearly Snoke treated his subordinates in the same way he treated his own people, keeping them in the dark about his true intentions.  
‘What good news,’ he said to Quinn and Overseer Seven. ‘It means that Snoke must be serious about fulfilling the plan he always promised for us.’  
‘I beg your pardon?’ asked Quinn, wondering why Overseer Four believed that Snoke was still alive. He had made it clear to Overseer Seven that Snoke was no longer their leader. ‘With respect, Supreme Leader Snoke has been dead for over a year.’  
Overseer Four was visibly confused, ‘But Kylo Ren said that he was Snoke’s apprentice.’  
Alarm bells started to go off in Quinn’s head. ‘Kylo Ren? Yes, he was Snoke’s apprentice. But he was also the one who killed him.’  
Wondering why, and how, Kylo had deceived him, Overseer Four went very quiet, glancing over at Overseer Seven. ‘How can this be?’  
‘That young man has tricked us, and you especially,’ was Overseer Seven’s conclusion, much to his peer’s discomfort. ‘We warned you not to get too close to him. He is Snoke’s creature, after all.’ The Overseer of Four had been cagey about their young visitor, although he had brought him to meet all the Overseers only the previous day. They had all been very impressed with him, his strength, power and vitality in the Force being evident, as well as his physicality and fine features. It was obvious why Snoke had chosen him.  
‘We can’t believe it,’ said the Overseer of Four miserably. There had been no reason to doubt Kylo Ren. he had said all the right things.  
‘Wait a minute. Kylo Ren has been here?’ Quinn asked, concerned as to what he had been telling the Overseers. ‘On Exegol?’  
Overseer Four nodded, ‘Yes. He arrived here almost a week ago. With a girl.’  
‘A girl?’ Quinn thought for a moment. ‘That must be the scavenger. What did he say he was here for?’  
‘He told us that Snoke had sent him, to fulfil his final plan to take us away from Exegol,’ explained the Overseer of Four, feeling more and more deceived as the young man’s words to him unravelled.  
‘The Overseer showed him and the girl the ships that we have produced, as well as introduced them to our society here,’ explained the Overseer of Seven, who of course had shared minds with his colleague and knew everything that had transpired with Kylo Ren. Even the disastrous attempt to encourage the young man to remain on Exegol was now clear to him.  
‘I see.’ Quinn realised that he needed to clear up their confusion. ‘Well, I’m afraid to say that you have all been duped by a master manipulator. Kylo Ren is a traitor to the First Order. He was Snoke’s apprentice until he decided to murder him, in partnership with that girl you speak of, in order to seize control. He was rightfully removed from office by General Hux, who then, with popular support, declared himself Supreme Leader. Continuing the great project begun by Snoke.’  
Overseer Four listened in embarrassed silence. He was angry with himself for implicitly trusting the young man, a young man that he had, regrettably, become very fond of. ‘Then why would he come here? What would be his purpose?’  
‘It’s likely he is working for the Resistance, a terrorist organisation that is determined to bring down the First Order through violence and anarchy.’ Quinn saw that he needed to take command of the situation. Goodness knows what had been going on here. ‘They want to destroy Exegol and prevent your hard work from being used by the First Order. But tell me. Where are Kylo Ren and the girl now?’  
‘Why, he told us they were leaving today,’ said Overseer Four, ‘returning on Snoke’s command until he had need of the ships we have built.’  
‘When was this?’ Quinn felt the need to rub in how foolish the Overseers had been to trust the rogue Ben Solo.  
‘Less than an hour ago,’ said the Overseer of Four, suddenly feeling optimistic. There was a small hope that Kylo Ren was still on Exegol. ‘They can’t have gone far.’  
‘Can we put the city on lockdown?’ asked Quinn.  
‘We can,’ said the Overseer, finally shrugging off his torpor. ‘Don’t worry, we will find them.’ He looked over at Overseer Seven. ‘We will send security to search the apartment right away in case he’s still there.’  
‘We will come over to City Four immediately to help,’ replied Overseer Seven, making a note to arrange for reinforcements.  
‘The girl didn’t come with him this morning,’ the Overseer of Four remembered, ‘so he must have gone to find her first. They have a strange connection, he will not leave without her.’  
’It is imperative that we capture both of them,’ commanded Quinn, pacing up and down in front of the two Overseers. ‘The scavenger is a dangerous Jedi, a rebel and a traitor. The First Order is willing to assist you in any way that it can.’  
‘Then we will attend to it immediately.’ Overseer Four’s hologram faded away.  
‘We would be pleased to make use of your troops whilst you are here,’ replied Overseer Seven, gesturing towards the door. As they walked along, he went on, ‘We do not have an army here, there is no need for one. The humans have no need of coercion, they are bred to be obedient.’  
‘A benefit, to be sure,’ said Quinn, ‘But Kylo Ren and that filthy scavenger are of the opposite persuasion. I will make contact with the command ship and ensure that it follows us to City Four. Reinforcements will be sent from the Incinerator should we need them.’  
By the time they reached City Four, the Overseer’s security guards were already combing the city for the two fugitives, soon joined by several squadrons of First Order stormtroopers. Quinn was confident that the two traitors would be quickly apprehended and remained with the two Overseers at the city’s large pyramidal headquarters, enjoying a quick tour of the ship design offices as well as being brought up to date with the firepower that would be available to the First Order just as soon as ship production was complete.  
‘Our prototype cannon has only been tested on Exegol,’ explained the Overseer of Four, pleased to have a diversion that could take his mind away from his failure with Kylo Ren. ‘But the results are certainly promising.’  
‘You said that two ships are available now?’ asked Quinn, thinking that it would please Hux if he could return with even one ship; a demonstration of firepower would be enough to force all rebellious systems to capitulate to their demands. He thought of the promotion that it might entail.  
The Overseers glanced at each other. ‘Two ships are ready to leave Exegol, certainly,’ said the Overseer of Seven. ‘The Tanis and the Derriphan. Why, have you immediate need of them?’  
Quinn nodded, ‘Thanks to the actions of the Resistance, and traitors such as Kylo Ren and the scavenger, the galaxy is in turmoil. A demonstration of our superiority is long overdue to quell the unrest and return the galaxy to order.’  
‘We would be very pleased to supply you with the ships that you require,’ said the Overseer hesitantly, ‘but we would prefer some acknowledgement that our side of the bargain, our original intention for supporting the First Order, will be fulfilled.’  
‘Your desire for a new planet?’ Quinn nodded, ‘I am more than certain that Supreme Leader Hux would be willing to grant your wish, in return for the fleet. I suggest that we contact him now.’  
The Overseer of Four went over to a panel in the wall and, pressing a button, a section of it lowered down, revealing a far-range communications device. Gesturing to Quinn, the Overseer waited until he had entered the codes that would reach Hux directly in the Chancellor’s Office. A code that very few officers had been given access to.  
Fortunately, Hux was in his office, busy reading through a short report into the galactic situation when Quinn’s request buzzed through. Immediately he answered it, ‘Quinn?’  
‘Supreme Leader,’ said Quinn, keeping his excitement in check. ‘I am here with the Overseers of Cities Four and Seven on Exegol. They are very keen to speak with you.’  
‘Excellent,’ Hux regarded them with interest. ‘You are peers of Snoke?’  
‘We are, Supreme Leader,’ said the Overseer of Seven. With Overseer Four’s reliability under question, Overseer Seven assumed leadership duties. ‘And you are his successor in the First Order?’  
‘Indeed,’ said Hux grandly. ‘I intend to carry on his glorious mission to ensure that the First Order brings peace, security, and progress to the known Galaxy, as well as further beyond it.’  
‘A noble cause,’ said Overseer Seven, secretly unimpressed with Hux’s manner and appearance. If he had been a child born on Exegol, he would have been destroyed or retained in some menial function for his pale features and ugly red hair. But he was clearly a capable man since he had risen to the top of the First Order and that was all that mattered. ‘General Quinn here tells us that you wish to take control of the advanced Star Destroyers that we are developing for Snoke. Ships that would lend additional firepower to your fight against the traitors and criminals that would seek to undermine your rule. We are very happy to supply those ships, in return for the fulfilment of our original desire, namely the granting of a new planet at our disposal. Where we might thrive again and rebuild the strength of our species.’  
‘It is a desire that the First Order would be pleased to fulfil,’ said Hux, smiling slightly. ‘With the galaxy under our control, there are all manner of uninhabited planets that may be used for that very purpose.’  
‘Then we would be honoured to give you access to the ships that we have built,’ said the Overseer, his pale blue eyes cold and emotionless. ‘We will take General Quinn with us to the ship yards and prepare them for immediate departure.’  
‘I understand that these ships are fully equipped with personnel?’ asked Hux.  
‘They are,’ confirmed the Overseer. ’All officers, technicians and auxiliary staff have been bred in our special programmes that maximise obedience and loyalty to the First Order’s cause. Our training programmes were written to the exact specifications of the great Brendol Hux, himself.’  
‘Ah, my father,’ said Hux grimly, although it was a good sign that the humans would be trained to something approaching the First Order’s standards. It would easy enough to replace them if they were defective, however, once the next batch of recruitments were ready. ‘Good. Then I look forward to hearing from you, General Quinn, when you return to Coruscant safely with the new ships.’  
‘Before you go, Supreme Leader,’ said Quinn, hearing the dismissive tone in Hux’s voice. ‘There is something more. Kylo Ren and the scavenger have been here, on Exegol.’  
‘They have?’ Hearing his hated rival’s name, Hux was immediately alert. ‘What for?’  
‘It seems that they have been working together to infiltrate the Overseers,’ explained Quinn, gleefully noticing the obvious shame creeping into the twisted features of the Overseer of Four. It was good to have some leverage with the arrogant species. ’Most likely they are working for the Resistance, to either claim the fleet for themselves or destroy it before we could discover it.’ It was merely conjecture at the moment, but Quinn thought his assumption to be a reasonable one.  
‘I knew he would turn to the Resistance,’ snarled Hux, annoyed that they had ever allowed Kylo Ren to leave the Steadfast. ‘And they readily accepted him, like the fools they are. Where is he now?’  
‘That’s just the problem,’ said Quinn snarkily, ‘the Overseers do not know.’  
‘Our security is out searching for the pair of them now,’ said the Overseer of Seven primly. ‘They will not escape from Exegol, we can assure you.’  
‘Our troops are also on the ground,’ added Quinn, knowing that Hux would have more faith in his ability than the Overseers. ‘We will do everything we can to assist the Overseers in bringing Kylo Ren and the filthy scavenger to justice.’  
‘Then I will leave it in your hands,’ remarked Hux, thinking it was high time someone else dealt with the problem of the renegade Force users. ‘You realise that they are both powerful in the Force?’  
The Overseer nodded. ‘That is of no concern. We have developed the means of subduing Force users through a technological solution. Leave it to us.’  
‘I am more than happy too. Kylo Ren and the scavenger have managed to elude us despite a large bounty on their heads. Hopefully, you and your technology will be more successful.’ Hux thought for a moment, ‘Would you be willing to share this technology with us? Force users like Ren are a constant thorn in our side, and their continued presence in the galaxy means that there might always be the threat of a revival of the loathsome Jedi Order.’  
‘Most certainly,’ said the Overseer of Seven, inclining his head slightly, ‘I will make sure to give General Quinn a detailed overview of our methods and supply him with a number of the devices that we have invented.’  
‘Thank you. Well, if that is all…’  
Quinn coughed loudly, ‘Supreme Leader Hux, before you go. If I may say so, it’s too dangerous to leave the Overseers to deal with Ren and the scavenger. He is a murderous criminal, she is a rebel and a traitor. They must be brought to justice by the First Order, to be used an example to anyone else who thinks that they can defy us.’  
‘I doubt there will be many wanting to emulate them,’ said Hux complacently. ‘The Jedi are gone. The Resistance will soon be finished. We will be rid of their kind and the galaxy will be better for it. No, leave Ren and the girl to the Overseers. If they have the means to do it, it saves us a great deal of trouble.’  
‘Very well.’ Quinn thought that Hux was making a mistake, but he did not argue further with the Supreme Leader.  
‘We will destroy them,’ said Overseer Seven cruelly, ‘the Shadow will see to it.’  
‘Good,’ said Hux, who knew that the Shadow was the Overseer’s name for the dark energy source on Exegol. ‘I will await to hear from you, General Quinn.’  
‘I will report back as soon as we have cleared the nebula, Supreme Leader.’  
‘Excellent.’ Hux smiled, finally the First Order would have the new resources that they needed to overcome any resistance to their plans. ‘I suggest you start planning for the evacuation of Exegol,’ he commented to the Overseer before the connection was severed, ‘for soon we will have the entire galaxy at our command.’


	40. Confronting the Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben help Kyp to escape Exegol, only to be chased by the Overseers. After splitting up with Ben, Rey is captured and finds herself imprisoned in a strange, featureless cell. Put on trial, she is sentenced to confront the mysterious Shadow - the source of the dark side energy on Exegol - when, to her surprise, she is joined by Ben. Losing all hope that they will be rescued, Rey and Ben find themselves out of their depth when they are dumped in the same desolate wasteland that Rey has been dreaming about...

When Rey woke up, she felt confused, not sure where she was. She’d been having a dream that she was lost in a huge expanse of flat, windswept desert, with no landmarks to guide her. Yawning, she looked around, realising that she had fallen asleep in the pilot’s chair, as had Ben next to her. He was still fast asleep, his mouth hanging open. Feeling stiff, she got out of the chair and stretched all of her limbs before checking the time. Twenty hundred hours.  
‘What’s going on?’ Ben woke up with a loud snort, wondering why he was covered in a blanket and his mouth was dry.  
‘We need to leave,’ said Rey, trying to stifle another big yawn and failing.  
‘Why, what time is it?’ As soon as Ben saw the lateness of the hour, he leapt out of the chair, banging his knee painfully on the console in the process. ‘Dammit!’  
‘Careful,’ said Rey, trying not to smile as he clutched at his leg, cursing loudly. The look on his face was a picture.  
‘It’s not funny.’  
‘I know. I’m sorry.’  
When Ben had calmed down, they went to find Kyp. She was in one of the smaller rooms off the main corridor, distributing a late meal to the many hungry mouths. A makeshift table and chairs had been set up in the centre of the storeroom, made out of the boxes that still needed to be packed onto the ship. Children and adults were gathered around it eagerly, most of them already eating.  
Kyp smiled when she saw Rey and Ben poke their heads around the door. ‘Sleep well?’  
‘It wasn’t really the plan,’ said Rey, happy to see that all of Kyp’s family had finally arrived at the warehouse - there seemed to be enough of them.  
‘Any of that going spare?’ Until he saw the food, Ben hadn’t realised how hungry he was. They had been so busy working they had forgotten about their bodily needs.  
‘Of course.’ Kyp pointed out of the door and over to her office. ‘Yours are in there, I thought you might want some peace and quiet away from these lot.’  
‘Thanks.’  
Leaving them to it, Ben and Rey ducked out of the room and went to find their own meal. In the office, they found two plates with hot, filled wraps on them, along with some pancakes and syrup, and two cups of overly sweet tea. Both of them wolfed it down quickly, hardly taking notice of what they were eating.  
‘Good old Kyp,’ said Ben appreciatively, although he could barely drink the tea, it was ridiculously sweet.  
‘You like her, don’t you?’  
‘Yes,’ said Ben, as if it was obvious. ‘She has passion and determination.’ He smiled affectionately at her, ‘Just like you.’  
Rey returned his smile, ‘You’re not so bad, yourself.’  
‘We need to get going.’ Ben finished his last piece of pancake, mindful of the time. He watched, mildly disgusted, as Rey licked sticky syrup off her fingers.  
They tidied up the plates and cups, putting them in the trash bin next to Kyp’s desk. It was not lost on either of them that, after that day, there would be no-one to come and clear it out.  
‘Time for one last check of all systems. But please,’ Ben added as they left the office, ‘wash your hands first.’  
‘Of course.’ Rey was barely listening, her mind was already elsewhere, thinking about what needed to be done.  
Everyone was gathering in the warehouse, and the two Jedi had to fight their way through an eager crowd of children and teenagers to get to the ship. Whilst they ran a final check of all the ship’s systems, Kyp went over the plan one last time with the adult members of her family, waiting for the all clear to load the final boxes. The youngsters were running about, causing havoc, although they knew not to disturb the two Jedi at work, and, in-between it all, Kyp tried to have a serious conversation. ‘So you’re clear about what you need to do,’ she checked with her son Jakk, a serious-looking young man of around thirty.  
‘Yeah, I’m flying the ship,’ he said nervously, running his hands through his thick, dark hair. Having only met Rey and Ben briefly, he had to trust his mother’s judgement about the significance of their help, although she had rarely been wrong in the past.  
‘This is going to work, isn’t it?’ Behind him, his wife Mara stood anxiously with Tinian’s girlfriend, Sabra. Both of them had strong reservations about leaving Exegol, but were trying to be optimistic for everyone else’s sake.  
‘It is,’ said Kyp, beginning to feel exhausted from having to keep everyone buoyed up with enthusiasm. ‘We’ve got the co-ordinates to get us through the nebula safely. Rey’s programmed the navicomp to find us a safe port, away from the First Order. And she’s given us a code to contact the Resistance leader, Poe Dameron. We’re not flying blind.’  
‘Those two kids have done a great job on the ship,’ said Rendol, coming over to join the group. He was a large man in his early sixties, his dark hair and beard flecked with streaks of grey. He sensed that not everyone was thrilled with the idea of leaving. ‘What’s the matter?’  
‘I’m not sure this is going to work, Dad,’ Jakk admitted reluctantly. ’I’ve never flown off planet before.’  
‘None of us have been off planet before,’ Rendol said, putting his arm around his son. ‘And it’s okay to be nervous. Hell, I’m nervous too. Just think… it’s like our ancestors must have felt when they left their home planet to come here. We’re following in their footsteps.’  
‘We’re explorers,’ agreed Kyp, putting her hand on her son’s other arm, ‘we’ll be with you, every step of the way.’  
Feeling slightly better, Jakk nodded, ‘I’ll be fine. I just… need some tea, I think.’  
‘Well, the office is that way,’ Kyp pointed out. She watched as her son disappeared out of the warehouse, followed by Mara and Sabra. ‘He’ll be alright won’t he?’  
Putting his arm around her, Rendol squeezed her shoulder, ‘Of course. We’re all gonna be fine. Even if we all perish in the nebula, being dead’s got to be better than spending another minute here on Exegol.’  
‘Don’t say that!’ Kyp smacked him lightly on the arm, ‘Especially not to Jakk.’  
‘You think I’m stupid, don’t you.’ For a moment, he gazed at her, his eyes filled with love for his beautiful, determined wife. ‘Come here…’  
They were about to kiss when there was a nervous cough from behind them, ‘Er, sorry to interrupt.’  
It was Ben, feeling awkward to have stumbled into a moment between them. It made him think of the many times when he was small, interrupting his parents to find them stood together, very close, pressing their faces together in a way that made him feel all funny inside. He had always watched them silently until either Han, or more likely, Leia had noticed. They had usually laughed it off but there was always embarrassment in their reaction to him.  
‘Hey, Ben,’ said Kyp, trying to pretend that nothing had happened, whilst Rendol moved to stand behind her. ‘What’s up, sweetie?’  
‘We’ve done the final checks,’ said Ben, trying to keep a straight face as Kyp and Rendol behaved in exactly the same way his parents had done, ‘and everything’s working fine. You can start loading up the last of the boxes when you’re ready.’  
‘Thanks.’ As he disappeared back into the ship, Kyp burst into peals of laughter. ‘His face! You’d think he’d caught his parents at it or something.’  
‘Don’t you remember, the Jedi aren’t allowed to fall in love,’ said Rendol, wrapping his arms around his wife and kissing her on the lips. ‘He probably doesn’t even know what a kiss is, poor guy.’  
‘I dunno,’ grinned Kyp mischievously, ‘with that mouth of his? Besides, have you seen the way him and Rey look at each other? There’s something going on there.’  
‘There’s definitely a lot of tension,’ agreed Rendol, who like his partner had not failed to notice the sparks in the atmosphere between the two Jedi. ‘If I were them, I’d just give into it. They probably just need to get down and…’  
‘Hush!’ said Kyp quickly, ‘there’s children around.’ But she had to agree with him. The atmosphere around Ben and Rey was highly charged, and even a non-Force user could see the strength of the attraction between them. Yet, despite spending so much time together, she had not even seen them do so much as hold hands. It made her feel sad to think the life of a Jedi was one of denial as well as peace.  
Inside the ship, Rey was stood by the entrance to the cockpit, watching a temperature gauge as Ben attempted to tidy up the same bunch of wires for the third time. ‘Why do you keep trying?’ she finally asked him, getting annoyed. ‘They’re only going to fall out again.’  
‘I know, okay,’ Ben snapped. Giving up, he sat back on his heels, trying to contain his anxiety and frustration. But it was difficult. ‘I’m sorry.’  
‘It’s fine.’ Pleased with the readings she had taken, Rey went over and caressed the top of Ben’s head, running her fingers through his thick waves of hair. ‘Not long now, and we can leave too.’  
He looked up at her, smiling faintly. ‘Can’t wait.’  
They were distracted by the sound of feet tramping up the gangway. Getting up to his feet, Ben watched with Rey as Minna and Riley emerged, carrying a large box between them. ‘Where should we put this?’  
Pleased to have something to do to take his mind off his anxiety, Ben supervised the storage of boxes as the youngsters brought them in, whilst Rey helped the children to bring the boxes in, enjoying being around them. They had no emotional baggage, no cares that weighed them down in the same way that the adults did. They were free, lacking self-consciousness for the most part, although the older kids like Minna and Riley were beginning to go that way. But even they could be silly, poking fun at Rey until she silenced them by making all the boxes float in the air.  
‘Wow,’ the children chorused, their eyes agog. ‘How did you do that?’  
As soon as the ship was packed, Rey spent a few minutes showing the children some tricks using the Force. Then, Ben got involved and the tricks became even more elaborate, drawing the adults in. But soon, it was time to go.  
As the engines warmed up, Ben and Rey went through everything with Jakk one last time, relieving some of his nervousness. The kids piled onto the spaceship whilst Kyp checked the warehouse one last time to make sure that she had not forgotten anything. Her eyes were moist as she closed the door to her office for the last time. Carrying the drinks machine onto the ship, she dumped it in a corner and went to find the two Jedi. They were in the cockpit, talking quietly with Jakk and Rendol, making sure that they were clear on what to do once they reached open space.  
‘We find the Resistance leader,’ confirmed Rendol, his excitement barely contained now. ‘Poe Dameron?’  
‘That’s right,’ nodded Rey, ‘but get to a safe port first. Remember to avoid the hot spots, we’ve put them into the navicomp so you don’t forget.’  
‘And we’ll be right behind you,’ said Ben, leaning on the back of the pilot’s chair. ‘We’ll be in touch as soon as the nebula’s out of the way.’  
Kyp came into the cockpit, ‘Everyone ready?’ When Rendol and Jakk nodded, she added, ‘It’s time.’  
‘We’ll go and open the doors,’ said Ben, affected by the charged atmosphere around him. It was a mixture of emotions; excitement, fear, trepidation… and hope.  
‘Thank you both, for everything you’ve done,’ said Kyp, tearfully embracing Ben, then Rey. ‘We couldn’t have done it without your help.’ Stepping back, she wiped her eyes. ‘I can’t believe we’re really doing this.’  
‘We’ll see you on the other side,’ said Rey, tears running openly down her cheeks by now.  
Unable to help herself, Kyp embraced her again, ‘We will, just you see.’  
As Jakk prepared himself mentally for the long journey ahead, Ben and Rey went to say goodbye to the youngsters in the main cabin. They were sad that the two Jedi would not be coming on the ship with them but Rey promised to come and see them as soon as they had found a safe port. It took longer than expected to give everyone a hug but eventually they made it out of the ship, and went quickly over to the other end of the warehouse.  
As they pushed the huge, heavy doors open and secured them, Rey paused to look at something in the sky. ‘What are those lights?’  
Turning round, Ben glanced up. His face changed from mild interest to one of concern. ‘Speeders.’  
‘They’ve found us!’ Rey grabbed her lightsaber. Behind her, the landing supports on the ship were folding up, the engine reaching a higher pitch as it started to lift away from the ground.  
‘But how?’ Ben ignited his weapon as the dust swirled around them.  
In the cockpit, Kyp saw the two Jedi pull out their lightsabers. ‘Something’s wrong. What do we do?’  
‘We keep going,’ said Rendol, encouragingly, putting his hand on his wife’s arm. ‘We can’t stop now.’  
‘But the Overseers…’  
‘This thing’s got weapons, hasn’t it?’ Rendol addressed this to his son.  
‘Sure has!’ Jakk slowly manoeuvred the ship out of the warehouse, its bright lights picking out the rapidly diminishing figures of Ben and Rey, running away across the empty lot nearby. Several of the speeders had followed them, but there were still two remaining. ‘Powering up the guns.’  
‘STOP WHERE YOU ARE!’ The voice reverberated around the warehouse district. ‘SURRENDER OR WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO SHOOT!’  
On the ground, Ben and Rey were heading for the road as fast as they could. The wasteland was rough and pitted, studded here and there with heaps of rubbish, and Rey had to concentrate hard to stop herself from stumbling as she ran alongside Ben, her heart hammering loudly in her chest. ‘There must be four or five of them!’  
‘We need to draw them off,’ Ben shouted back, glancing back to see that their plan seemed to be working, several of the speeders had swung round and were following them across the open ground.  
‘STOP WHERE YOU ARE! SURRENDER AND YOU WILL BE TREATED FAIRLY!’  
They reached a junction in the road, pausing for a brief moment to decide their strategy.  
‘We better spilt up,’ said Ben hurriedly. ‘Keep close to the buildings. Try and lose them.’  
‘Okay,’ panted Rey. Her eyes met his for a brief, tender moment.  
Stay safe.  
See you back at the ship.  
‘FIRE!’  
The ground behind them ripped open as the speeders started firing at them, soil and rocks raining down onto the road. Immediately, Ben raced off and Rey headed in the opposite direction as fast as she could. Above her, she could hear the whine of a speeder engine as it followed her, but she was nimbler, able to thread her way through the warehouse buildings and soon enough, she was sure that she had lost it. Crouching down behind one of the warehouses, she watched as the Corvette, now far in the distance, lifted off into the sky, its lasers firing at the two remaining speeders heading towards it. As one of the speeders crashed to the ground, the ship made its escape, blasting off towards the upper atmosphere in a surge of heat and light. Relieved, Rey closed her eyes, sending silent wishes to Kyp and her family; May the Force be with you.  
After a while of waiting, sitting on the damp and cold ground, Rey started to shiver. Looking around carefully, she reached into the Force, finding no evidence that anyone was following her. Getting up, she started to make her way back towards the warehouse, wondering if Ben had already returned to the TIE. She was thinking about the best way to go when she heard a faint buzzing sound coming from behind her. Before she could work out what it was, everything went black.

Rey woke up with a start, her head throbbing with a dull headache. She was lying on the floor in an unfamiliar space. Everything was white. There were no windows or doors, and the only furniture in the room was a hard, white plastic bench. The bright lights made the blandness unbearable and she closed her eyes, feeling sick.  
Ben, where are you?  
What had happened? The last thing she remembered was seeing Kyp’s ship blasting away from the warehouse. She must have been captured by the Overseers. But how?  
Opening her eyes again, she sat up and assessed her body, checking it over for injuries. There was nothing unusual except for a strange device attached to her right arm. There was a strap around it, with a small, shiny oblong fastened on top. A red light pulsed on the device, following the rhythm of her heartbeat. Annoyed, she tried to work it loose but the strap was stuck fast into her skin. As she fiddled with it, the subsequent ripple of pain that flooded through her system made her gasp out loud. ‘What the…?’  
With a swoosh, part of the wall opened and the Overseer of Four stepped inside. Dressed in a purple robe with dark green fringes, he came over to where Rey sat on the floor, sensing her defiance immediately. The Overseer regarded her for a moment with pale, watery blue eyes. ‘I wouldn’t fiddle with that, if I was you.’  
Rey studiously ignored him.  
‘Where is your friend?’ he asked her, quietly cruel. ‘It seems that he was lying to us all along.’  
Rey refused to look at him. ’I’m not telling you anything.’  
‘That’s to be expected.’ The Overseer turned away, and gestured to two security guards standing outside the door. ’Never mind, we will soon find Kylo Ren and get to the bottom of why you two came to Exegol. For now, you will come with me.’  
Forcing her to stand up, the guards fastened binders to her wrists and she was led out of the cell into a long, white corridor. Rey wondered if there were more cells hidden behind the nondescript panelling and if so, how many of them there might be. As she walked behind the Overseer, she tried to memorise the journey. There was slim hope of escaping but she decided to stay alert in case an opportunity presented itself. There was no way that she was going to give up hope just yet.  
The guards shoved her into an elevator, and the Overseer pushed the button for the fiftieth floor. He said nothing to her as the elevator sped upwards, but only looked at her with his pale eyes. Rey glared back and finally he looked away. She smiled to herself, it was a good thing that the Overseers hated women. Despite her lowly status, he was clearly intimidated by her. ‘What is this?’  
The Overseer looked surprised when she spoke. ‘What is what?’  
‘This.’ Rey indicated the strap on her arm.  
‘Ah.’ The Overseer seemed to contemplate whether or not he should inform her of its purpose. But clearly he liked to gloat. ‘It’s a piece of technology we took years to develop, but it seems to work rather well. It blocks a Force-user’s connection with the Living Force.’  
It intrigued her why they would design such a technology if only the Overseers were Force sensitive. ‘You don’t trust your own kind?’  
The Overseer smiled mysteriously. ‘It is wise, child, not to trust anyone.’  
‘But you trusted Kylo Ren.’ It was Rey’s turn to gloat. Her words clearly made the Overseer feel uncomfortable and he did not look at her or talk to her for the duration of the journey.  
The elevator came to a halt and the doors slid opened. Led out by the guards, Rey followed the Overseer into the depths of a large complex, the corridors lined with large windows behind which were rows and rows of ‘Snokes’ working away at desks, or holding meetings around large, oval tables.  
‘This is where we uphold our sacred laws, my child,’ said the Overseer conversationally as they walked along. Clearly he had gotten over whatever embarrassment her words had provoked. ‘Laws that you are also subject to whilst you are on Exegol.’  
Coming to a large set of wooden doors, the Overseer opened them and went inside, followed by Rey and the guards. They went into a large chamber, panelled all over in wood. At the back of the room was a long podium, reached by a short flight of steps, upon which sat ten high-backed chairs. In front of it was a smaller podium with no seat, also reached up a short flight of stairs. Rows of seats lined the remainder of the chamber. Looking behind her, Rey could see on the back  
wall of the chamber was a balcony, reached by a flight of stairs on the right hand side.  
‘Look forward, girl,’ snapped the Overseer, the guards pushing her head back to the front.  
As she was led towards the small podium, Rey saw a colourful, painted mural above the larger podium at the back, showing several of the Overseers holding books and strange instruments, a motto inscribed beneath their feet, Knowledge, Progress, Power.  
The smaller podium was surrounded by a low wooden railing. A small gate was opened in the railing, and she was encouraged forcibly to stand inside it. The gate was closed behind her, the guards standing just below. As she waited, she could hear other beings coming into the room. Twisting her head round, she could see more of the ‘Snokes’ filing into the chamber and taking seats towards the back. The Overseer had taken one of the seats on the larger podium and was sat watching proceedings emotionlessly. In time, several more Overseers were to join Four and when the hubbub ceased, Rey found herself facing five of the Overseers. Or five ‘Snokes’ as she reminded herself.  
‘Silence!’ One of the Overseers spoke and the low hum of chatter finally stopped. ‘Let the proceedings begin.’  
The Overseers joined hands and closed their eyes. Rey remembered what Ben had told her about the Overseers sharing a single mind. She concentrated on reaching into the Force, trying to harness its energy, but she could only sense it dimly. Whatever the thing was around her wrist seemed to be working. I guess this is what it’s like to be non-Force sensitive, she thought sadly. Although she had struggled with her abilities, its loss made her aware of what she was missing - the heightened sensations and understanding of the environment around her. It made her feel strangely vulnerable.  
The eyes of the middle Overseer opened, revealing a strange luminosity as it shared the minds of its colleagues. ‘We have convened here to ascertain the reasons why this young woman, known only as Rey from Jakku, supported Kylo Ren in his lies to the Overseer as well as aiding the escape of several humans from Exegol. We want to know why she came to this planet and what she knows about the disappearance of the aforementioned Kylo Ren.’  
Lies? They must know that Ben was deceiving them. But how? Rey fought the urge to respond to their accusations. If they thought that she was going to tell them anything useful, they were sorely mistaken. She would fight them to the end.  
The Overseer looked at her intensely. Already she could feel the probing tendrils of their shared mind in hers. Angrily, she pushed against it, and to her surprise, it worked. Perhaps their technology was not as good as they thought. The Overseer looked annoyed and tried again. This time when Rey attempted to prevent them from probing her mind, an intense pain flooded through her body. She gasped, clutching at the rail in front of her. It was then, at her weakest moment, that the Overseers entered her mind. She could feel the pressure as they probed and sifted through her memories. Desperately, she focused on a few key moments; talking to Tinian in the bar, walking to the warehouse, working on the new parts for the ship, her long talks with Kyp, showing the children her tricks using the Force. Avoiding any memories that included Ben.  
The Overseers sat silently, going over the images they found in her head. Eventually they had seen enough and Rey felt the pressure on her mind disappear. She was able to breathe properly again.  
‘Well,’ said the Overseer, ‘that was an interesting journey into your thoughts, child. We gave you our hospitality. We allowed you, a woman, to stay in our City. And how do you repay us? By working with our enemies. By helping a traitorous family use a stolen ship, stolen from our shipyards, to escape from Exegol! For what purpose?’  
‘You denied them freedom,’ said Rey, holding her head up high. If she could focus on Kyp and her family, it might distract them from using her to find out about Ben. ‘Like all humans here, you tried to brainwash them into accepting your exploitation of this planet as reasonable. Just as the First Order forces stolen children to run their fleets and fill their armies. But no more! Like the Resistance will shed light on the tyranny of the First Order, so too will Kyp bring freedom back to Exegol!’  
‘What do you mean?’ the Overseer growled, his eyes narrowing.  
‘The Resistance are coming here,’ said Rey assertively, hoping to make them realise that her plan had deeper implications. ’To destroy your shipyards and prevent your technology from being used by the First Order. Your ruin and oppression of this planet and its people will not last much longer.’  
‘Foolish child!’ hissed the Overseer, his eyes betraying his fear. ‘Whilst you were helping those traitors, know that General Quinn of the First Order arrived here, on Exegol.’  
Although she kept her expression neutral, Rey nonetheless was shaken by this information. How had the First Order made it to Exegol already? Ben had been right to be worried.  
‘The General assures us that this pathetic organisation known as the Resistance will soon be crushed by the might of the First Order. Even now, two of our ships are on their way to support their victory. Know now that your pathetic rebellion is lost.’  
Please Ben, have made it away from here! Her only hope was that he had managed to escape from the Overseers and was on his way back to the Resistance, to try and convince Poe to send the fleet.  
The Overseer regarded her coldly. ‘Now to the whereabouts of your friend, Kylo Ren,’ he said, as if he had read her mind. ‘Did you know that he was lying to us about Snoke and his position in the First Order?’  
Rey remained silent, refusing to be drawn on what she knew about Ben.  
The Overseer tried again. ’Does he know that you are working for the Resistance?’ When Rey maintained her silence, he continued, ‘He had a very high regard for you, although we do not understand why. Like any woman, you seem to lie and cheat with impunity.’ Seeing that he was getting nowhere, the Overseer seemed to decide that a change of approach was needed. ‘Please, girl,’ it said in a pleasant, wheedling voice. ‘Tell us where your friend is and we will allow you to go free.’  
Rey did not believe that for a second. Fixing him with a stern glare, she said nothing.  
The Overseer tried to probe her mind again but this time she was ready and she fought back, despite the pain administered by the device around her wrist. Clearly the Overseers had not expected any resistance to their methods and in the end, Rey managed to keep the Snokes out of her mind. Much to her relief; she would not be the one to lead them to Ben. Collapsing against the rail from the sheer effort of will, she watched as the Overseers conferred quietly amongst themselves. Not for the first time, Rey wished that she could look into their minds, the same way that they could look into hers.  
Eventually the lead Overseer turned back to her. ‘In lieu of your silence, there is little we can do, girl, to commute your punishment. We have decided your sentence,’ he pronounced, staring at her with his peculiar eyes. ‘You will be taken to face the Shadow.’  
The Shadow… the manifestation of the dark side energy on Exegol. Curiosity mingled with her fear.  
‘Nothing to say, child?’  
Rey shook her head.  
Opening up the small gate behind her, the guards led her away, out of the chamber and back down to her cell. Removing her binders, the guards pushed her inside roughly and shut the door.  
Sighing heavily, Rey accepted that her fate was sealed. There was no means of escape and there was no way to get a message to anyone who could help her escape. The Snokes had taken away her bag, and her weapons. She truly was trapped. But she refused to be defeated. That’s what they wanted her to feel. She resolved to go to her death confidently, knowing that she had done all she could to help the Resistance fight the First Order.  
Going over to the bench, she saw that there was a small tray with some food and drink upon it. There was a plain wrap with some unidentifiable meat inside, accompanied by a small salad and a glass of water. Although she was starving, she decided against trying it in case it had been tampered with. But in the end, her hunger proved too strong and soon she had devoured it, finding that it tasted good, as did all the food on Exegol.  
Removing the tray from the bench, she sat down and looked at the strap around her arm again. Determined to get it off, she started to pick away at it, to see if she could get it out of her skin. But the more she tried to fiddle with it, the more it started to hurt. Leaving it, she wondered if she could sense Ben through the Force, to try and find out where he was. Closing her eyes, she reached out, trying to find his familiar traces, but it was no use. She felt nothing; the device preventing her from connecting with the Force in any meaningful way.  
With little else to do, she lay down on the bench and tried to sleep. But sleep would not come. Instead, her mind churned over and over. There was a chance that the Snokes might keep her alive for a little while longer, giving Ben time to get back to the Resistance and not only alert them to the frightening technology being developed here, but to the fact that she needed rescuing. Then there was Kyp; surely she would know that something was wrong when they did not get in touch with her after leaving Exegol? Hope stirred in her heart knowing that there were at least two opportunities that she might be saved, and finally her brain gave in and allowed her the sleep she craved.  
She had no idea how long she had been asleep when something jolted her awake. Bleary-eyed, she saw that the cell door was opened and she watched as Ben was pushed inside by two security guards, the door closing behind him. He looked a terrible state. His hair was dusty and matted and falling messily over his face, which was covered in fresh bruises and cuts. His jacket was half falling off. It looked like he had been in a fist fight and lost.  
‘Ben?’ Immediately, her hopes of rescue collapsed.  
‘Are you okay?’ he asked, coming over to the bench.  
Standing up, she looked at him in amazement. ‘What are you doing here?’  
He was baffled by her question, ‘I came back for you.’  
‘But why? You should have gone back!’  
‘D’you think I’d leave you here? To die?’ When she remained silent, he went on, ‘Would you have left me, if it was the other way around?’  
Rey opened her mouth to say ‘Yes,’ but then she looked into Ben’s eyes and realised that she was deluding herself. He looked so hopeful and excited to see her, and she knew then that she could not leave him anymore more than he could leave her. Instead she said, ‘Quinn’s been here, on Exegol.’  
He stared at her, uncomprehending, until her words finally sank into his addled brain. ‘What? Quinn’s been here?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘They didn’t tell me that!’ Ben raked his hands through his hair, eyes wide with anxiety and concern.  
‘Two of the ships are already on their way to Coruscant,’ said Rey, watching as Ben started pacing across the room, highly agitated.  
He looked at her aghast, ‘Dammit! I didn’t think Hux would get someone here so quickly.’  
‘But why did they put you in here?’ asked Rey, unable to concentrate, feeling dazed. ‘I told them that I was working for the Resistance, not you.’  
‘So you did.’ He smiled, remembering. ‘But I told them that I was working for them too.’  
‘Why would you do that?’ Rey was beginning to wonder if Ben was right in the head. ‘There’s still time, you can convince them otherwise…’  
‘No it’s too late for that,’ murmured Ben, still pacing. ‘They know I killed Snoke. Besides, I needed them to see what their stupid ideology leads to. To anger. To hate. To destruction. To endless war. Not to a better life or peace or truth like they think. Like Snoke wanted them to think. So I showed them.’  
He had definitely gone crazy. ‘How is that going to help us?’  
But Ben was hardly listening. ‘Despite everything I told them, they still asked if I wanted to stay here and work for them,’ he went on, laughing to himself, ‘Can you believe their idiocy? Like Snoke, they only want me for my power.’ He looked over at her, taking her all in; her perfect face, her eyes calm and clear despite the danger they were in. ‘I said the only thing I wanted was to be with you. So they granted me my wish.’  
‘But I’m sentenced to face the Shadow.’ She sat down on the bench and put her head in her hands, tired of watching Ben pace up and down. He was making her feel even more anxious then she already felt.  
‘So am I.’  
‘You don’t have to do this, Ben,’ she sighed, ‘if there’s a chance that they’ll give you…’  
‘Yes I do.’ Cutting her off, he regarded her curiously, ‘You want to face it alone?’ When she did not reply, he realised that he was missing the point. ‘It’s not that though, is it?’ he said softly, coming to sit beside her. ‘You can’t believe that I came back for you… that anyone would want to come back for you.’  
‘I want you to live, not die with me…’  
‘Do you think I want to live without you?’ Ben frowned, wondering why they were even having this conversation. ‘You’re the only thing in my life that has any meaning.’  
It terrified her, that he placed so little value on his own life for the sake of hers. Oh, Ben…  
‘Anyway, it’s better if we stay together,’ he went on, pushing his hair back away from his face. ‘In case you don’t come up with a plan to get out of here.’  
‘And you have?’  
‘Not yet,’ he admitted sulkily. But then the context had changed radically without him knowing. As Rey reached up to scratch the scab on her neck, his attention was diverted by the strap on her arm, ‘What’s that?’  
She had just given him her hand, when the cell door opened and five security guards marched in, followed by the Overseer of Four. Coming to face them both, the Overseer regarded them with distaste. ‘Get up! We will take you to see the Shadow now.’  
‘They don’t hang about here, do they,’ muttered Ben, as the guards put binders onto them both and led them out of the cell.  
‘I’d rather get it over and done with,’ replied Rey, keeping her head high.  
‘Silence, child,’ said the Overseer from behind them.  
You’ve upset him.  
Good. Rey was surprised to find that her connection with Ben had not been affected by the strange device on her arm, and it made her feel better.  
Marching them through the complex, the Overseer took his captives to one of the landing platforms outside where a speeder was waiting. Rey and Ben were pushed into the back seats, a guard sitting either side of them. The Overseer climbed into the front, along with the pilot, and soon the speeder was lifting into the air, rising up and up amongst the tall buildings until it reached the skyways.  
Unable to see much beyond the guard sitting beside her, Rey reached out to Ben. Did you find out more about the Shadow?  
It’s a manifestation of the dark side, made stronger by pain and suffering, he explained. The Overseer had told him, gloatingly, that the Shadow’s dark side energy was connected to the planet’s core, which seemed to act as a conduit for negative emotions, pulling them in from across the galaxy. Snoke was a vessel for it, and it was supposed to take over his body when he was ready. But me killing him prevented that from happening. From what the Overseer said, it might be looking for another vessel.  
One of us?  
Possibly.  
Can we fight it?  
I don’t know.  
Even if we could defeat it, it won’t matter. There won’t be anything to go back to.  
Ben glanced at her, worried. Things had to be bad if Rey had lost her optimism. He wished that he could reach out and take her hand, but the binders made it impossible. Instead, he managed to twist his fingers around so that they briefly touched hers. Don’t lose hope.  
I’m trying. Rey’s eyes filled with tears for their lost cause. She had been determined to be strong but now she was faced with the reality of their predicament, all her confidence melted away.  
Leaving the city behind, the speeder flew low over desolate landscapes, cold and barren. The only interesting feature for miles around was a range of mountains that marched across the surface of the planet. Like the land that lay beneath it, the mountains were devoid of life, the rocky slopes covered in shattered rock and marked by huge, brutal holes that had been blasted into them by the Overseers seeking rare minerals, their summits hidden in thick clouds of brown smog. It was into this landscape that the speeder travelled, heading into a narrow and treacherous pass that snaked through tall cliffs, the high walls either side cracked and scarred. Eventually, it flew out into a huge valley, a large depression on the ground visible from the air, indicating that this may once have been the site of a natural lake, long since dried up.  
Slowing down, the pilot landed the speeder in the centre of the depression. The doors opened and the guards climbed out, pushing Ben and Rey out of the speeder with them.  
When Rey saw their surroundings, she gasped. To the front of her, at the edge of the depression was an escarpment of rocks, running down from the mountains. Carved into the escarpment was a large throne, formed of black obsidian, tall jagged spikes framing it against the backdrop of the peaks.  
I’ve seen this place before, she told Ben, her heart hammering in her ears.  
In your vision?  
Yes.  
‘You will wait here for the Shadow,’ said the Overseer, sneering at them both as the guards held them still at the centre of the Wastelands. ‘Few humans are privileged to see it or understand its power,’ it went on, looking over towards the throne. ‘The purest dark side energy, drawing its power from our most basic emotions; pain, hate, suffering, fear.’ The Overseer turned back to Rey, ‘We are at our most honest when we admit these feelings to ourselves.’  
‘You’re wrong,’ said Rey fiercely, knowing that the Overseer’s soul was devoid of anything good. No love, no compassion, no kindness. ‘We are meant to care. For others as well as for ourselves. It’s you who are unnatural!’  
Laughing, the Overseer shook his head. ‘No wonder the Jedi died out. Such weakness in your words.’ Coming closer, his pale eyes blazing, the Overseer went on, ‘Your friend here, Ben Solo I suppose his name is, informed us of many things that we were not aware of. Some freely, others less so.’ Here, the Overseer smiled cruelly, ‘It seems he thinks the same way that you do. Well, the Shadow will show you the true meaning of life.’  
They tortured you? She looked over at Ben, upset that he had not told her.  
It’s nothing, he lied, not wanting her to worry about it. They had far more pressing problems to deal with.  
In his hands, the Overseer held their weapons and Rey’s bag. Contemptuously he threw them to the ground in front of them. ‘I doubt you will find any use for these, unless you manage to free yourself from your binders.’ For a moment he regarded them both. ‘It is a shame that we have come to this, no? The power you both have could have been used for so much more. So much more.’ When Ben and Rey remained silent, he said nastily, ‘You wanted to know more about the Shadow. And so you shall.’  
Leaving them to their fate, the Overseer and the guards climbed back into the speeder. Slowly, it lifted off from the ground, Ben and Rey watching it until it disappeared from view.  
‘Good riddance,’ said Ben grumpily, kicking at the dusty ground with his foot.  
‘Can you get these off?’ Rey asked, indicating her binders.  
‘Yeah, sure.’ Looking them over, Ben found the weakest point. Closing his eyes, he concentrated hard, manipulating the particles with his mind, imagining the metal buckling and twisting under enormous pressure.  
As Rey watched, the binders started to hiss and grow hot, ‘Er Ben…’  
‘Be ready,’ he murmured, his eyes closed in concentration.  
The binders were getting hotter and hotter, and she could see the metal starting to twist and melt, the heat searing her wrists. Just as she thought she was going to get seriously burnt, the binders snapped and she flung them off onto the ground, where they continued to smoke for a good few minutes. When Ben’s eyes opened, she looked at him ruefully. ‘Thank you.’  
‘We have to get that other thing off,’ he reminded her as she pressed the button on his binders, opening them up immediately. He smiled at her, ’That was easy.’  
‘It’s hooked into my skin,’ said Rey, holding out her arm so that Ben could have a look at the strange mechanism.  
‘What’s it for?’ Ben lifted it up and peered all around it, but he could not work out what it was. Whatever powered it was hidden inside the featureless, oblong case.  
‘It disrupts my connection to the Force.’  
‘But we’re still connected,’ he frowned. He looked at the device again, twisting her arm in the process, ‘How does it work…?’  
‘Ow! Does it even matter,’ she complained, pulling her arm away, ‘just get it off.’  
When she allowed him to take her arm again, he closed his eyes, focusing on the device. Like he had done with the holocron, he entered inside it, seeking answers to what it was made of, how it worked. Like most inanimate objects it gave its secrets up readily to him and he was able to apply pressure on it with his mind. There was a click and the strap fell away from Rey’s arm, whatever it was that had buried into her skin disappearing back inside the device.  
A surge of emotions hit her as her connection to the Force returned, surprising her with its intensity. When it had died down, she looked at her arm, seeing a line of tiny pinpricks where it had been buried, disproportionate to the amount of pain they had caused. ‘Stupid thing.’ She stomped on the device for good measure, cracking the case and spilling its contents onto the ground. But the best thing was that her emotions and senses were heightened again, as she was used to.  
Picking up their weapons, Ben handed them to her, including her bag. Rey was pleased to see that nothing had been removed and the Sith knife was still inside. Taking it out, she put it into her belt, thinking it might be useful against a being formed of darkness.  
Turning to Ben, she saw that he was watching the mountains warily. ‘What is it?’  
‘The light’s changing.’ He thought he had seen a subtle shift over by a large fissure that went deep inside the mountain-side, just at the edges of the wasteland. He turned back to her, ‘Okay, sweetheart?’  
‘Okay.’ She rubbed her arm again, trying to alleviate the pain.  
‘Let me look at that,’ said Ben, moving closer towards her.  
’Wait,’ she cautioned, putting her hand onto his arm, ‘something’s coming.’  
As they watched, what looked like vapour started to seep out of the cracks and fissures in the rocks, coming together to form a shapeless, shifting, writhing cloud that crept across the ground towards them. Wordlessly, Ben and Rey reached for each other, joining hands. For within the cloud they could sense great suffering, feelings of misery, hatred and fear. It was drawing on it, feeding off it. But at its heart was emptiness, a deep vast nothing that was just as terrifying as the malevolence that surrounded it.  
The mists crept over to the throne, slowly coalescing into a single entity that began to take on a vaguely humanoid shape, albeit one that would tower over both Jedi. As its form became clearer, more solid, it regarded them both. At least it seemed to. It had no features to speak of.  
‘Who are you?’ it asked, its voice both soft and cruel, ringing loudly across the wastelands. ‘Who disturbs the Shadow?’ Overhead, lightning flashed.  
‘We’ve come to defeat you,’ yelled Rey impetuously, whilst Ben glanced at her in irritation.  
That’s what we’re here to do, aren’t we?  
We don’t know yet. They were badly in need of a plan.  
The being laughed, a deep and hoarse laugh that rumbled around the mountains like thunder. ’Puny humans you might be, but you are strong in the Force.’  
Frozen to the spot, Rey could feel the being trying to probe her mind, just as the Overseers had done. Angrily, she tried to resist it, but it was difficult and she gasped with the effort. Beside her, Ben gritted his teeth, also trying to withstand the pressure in his mind. But as she gripped his hand tightly, she suddenly felt a rush of strength, enough to push back against the Shadow’s probing. Ben felt it too, and he made another, concerted attempt to expel the Shadow from his mind. It was not enough to remove it completely, but it eased most of the pressure, and Rey felt the Shadow beginning to retreat, unable to take what it needed.  
‘Yes, you are strong together,’ said the Shadow, sounding both pleased and angry. ‘A dyad - the first for thousands of generations… with a bond that is stronger than life itself. Strong in the light but in the darkness too. Why you are here, I do not know.’  
Releasing them both, the Shadow glided slowly down the stairs and across the wasteland towards them. As it came, it told them of its history; its birth at the dawn of the Universe, how it had been drawn to Exegol by the chaotic dark energy in the core of the planet, where it had been found by the first of the Overseers. A weak and feeble species, despite their command of space travel, the Shadow had raised the Overseers up to the level of gods, powerful and wise. But the Shadow longed to leave the confines of the planet, to find new sources of pain and suffering. ‘Long have I been waiting for a new source of power such as yours,’ whispered the Shadow as it reached them, ‘and now I shall be free!’  
‘We’ll destroy you first!’ shouted Rey defiantly, keeping hold of Ben’s hand as the mists swirled around them.  
The Shadow laughed, a deep, terrible, laugh that echoed around the mountains. ‘You think you can destroy me? Foolish girl. They call me many names; Ren, Bogan, the Shadow, the darkness…. but no one can destroy me. I was there at the beginning of Time and I will be there when the darkness takes over again.’ As lightning crackled over the mountains, the mists started to come together, forming the same humanoid shape as before. ‘Before I take your lives for my own, I will show you what you could have been. Look to the throne!’  
Suddenly, a dark vision of Rey appeared, dressed in black, her face pale and triumphant. Standing beside her was Ben, as if he had never rejected his persona of Kylo Ren, his face stern and imposing, deeply immersed in the darkness.  
‘You could have taken the throne,’ it said to them softly and chillingly. ‘The Overseers are weak and gullible. With your powers, you could have ruled over them, using their technology and their resources to take control of the galaxy.’  
‘That is not who we are,’ said Rey, seeing that the Shadow was trying to tempt them, as Ben had once tried to tempt her when he had been dominated by the darkness. ‘And we never will be!’  
‘So you choose to stay in the light,’ growled the Shadow menacingly. ’You could have been strong and powerful beyond all imagining but you choose to be weak. To serve others and deny your own passions. To deny what you really need. The freedom to indulge your will, to be strong and powerful, free of the pain and the fears that have constrained you since birth.’  
‘The light is not weak,’ said Ben, standing firm. It was the same thing that Snoke had convinced him of all those years ago. ‘Love makes us stronger.’  
Realising how misguided she had been to think that she could face the Shadow alone, Rey said to Ben, We can defeat it together.  
‘You think you are strong,’ continued the Shadow, its form shifting and changing as the Force around it boiled and writhed with anger and hatred. ‘But you will fall together.’  
Light overcomes the dark. Knowing that they shared the same idea, Ben held out his arm, summoning the light in his mind, and focusing it through his hand onto the Shadow’s malign shape. Beside him, Rey reached out too, channelling the light inside her towards the Shadow.  
But it was too late.  
Lifting its arm, the Shadow flung out its own surge of dark energy towards them. Breaking his concentration, Ben threw himself in front of Rey, taking the full force of the energy blast meant for both of them. As Rey watched in horror, Ben collapsed to his knees as his life force started to flow out of him into the Shadow, nourishing it, making it stronger and clearer, whilst Ben groaned in agony, growing visibly weaker.  
‘Ben!’ Not knowing what to do, Rey did what she wanted to do and ignited her lightsaber, swinging it at the Shadow as the hatred and rage spilled out of her in an enormous cry. Distracted, the Shadow let go of Ben, and he pulled away, collapsing to the ground. The weapon made no contact with the Shadow and passed straight through it, the momentum throwing a very surprised Rey to the ground.  
With a deep, guttural laugh, the Shadow transformed back into vapour and rolled away towards the mountains, ‘It is enough.’  
Getting to her feet, Rey ran over to where Ben was lying on the ground, moaning in pain. Crouching down beside him, she did not know whether to be cross with him or kiss him. She settled for brushing the hair away from his face. ‘What did you do that for?’  
‘You forget I’m a Skywalker,’ gasped Ben, clutching his side. He managed a weak smile, ‘We’re programmed to save the ones we love.’  
Sighing, Rey helped him to his feet. ‘Don’t do anything like that again.’  
‘I’ll try.’ He felt odd, as if the Shadow had taken all the light out of him, leaving only darkness. ‘What now?’  
‘We get after it,’ said Rey decisively, looking towards the mountain where the Shadow was vanishing back into the cracks and fissures. ‘Are you okay?’  
‘I… yes.’ Ben ached all over but he pushed it aside. Rey was right, they had to stop the Shadow from leaving Exegol, to wreak more havoc in an already traumatised galaxy.  
Together, they jogged over to the mountain, plunging into the shadows created by the tall jagged peaks that loomed above them. At the base of the mountain, behind the throne, was a large fissure, torn out of the rock by mysterious forces and leading deep into the mountain’s interior. With a quick glance at each other for reassurance, Rey and Ben followed the Shadow inside.


	41. Kyp and her family head to Takodana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyp and her family are safely out of the nebula, but somehow in the excitement, they forget to find out what's happened to Rey and Ben.

‘We’re coming out the nebula,’ said Jakk, keeping an eye on the console as the ship pitched and rolled, just keeping abreast of the huge red dust clouds that threatened to engulf them.   
‘Thank goodness.’ Kyp had spent most of the journey so far securing loose items, comforting crying children and praying to the Force that the ship would hold together. But she couldn’t fault Rey and Ben’s hard work; despite Jakk’s concerns, there had been no problems with the ship.  
‘And… we’re out!’   
The ship was spat out into the comforting blackness of space, immediately giving lie to the Overseer’s claims that there was no way through the nebula. Kyp wiped tears away from her eyes, wondering how a species could be cruel enough to fool an entire population of humans, keeping them cowed and obedient.  
‘Now we need to find a safe port once we’re free of the Unknown Region,’ said Rendol, glancing over the choices listed in the navi-comp, as Jakk continued to follow the exact co-ordinates given to them by Rey. ‘Rey suggested Takodana was out best bet. There are others but most of them are in the Outer Rim.’  
‘What’s on Takodana?’ asked Jakk, marvelling at the view outside of the cockpit. There were phenomena he had never even dreamed of; mysterious planets of jewel-like colours. Dying stars and stars at the beginning of their life. The building blocks of life scattered within comets and flying unchecked through the vast cosmos, waiting to be pulled into the orbit of another planet or moon. He had flown ships off Exegol but this was different, this was a view he never thought he’d see. They could go anywhere. They were free.  
‘Someone called Maz,’ said Kyp, trying to remember what Rey had told her. ‘She runs an eatery, a music venue, something like that. She’s friendly towards the Resistance, although Rey told me that she claims to be neutral so that the First Order don’t target her.’  
‘Sounds good,’ said Rendol, confirming their choice with the navi-comp. ‘Takodana it is.’  
As soon as they were free of the Unknown Regions, and the co-ordinates had been entered, Jakk pushed the levers and outside, space turned into the long streaks of hyperspace, gradually getting faster until the ship was flying at optimum speed. It was only then that Kyp realised that they were meant to try and get in contact with Ben and Rey as soon as they had left the nebula. ‘Oh no. We forgot!’  
‘Don’t worry, they’ll be behind us, remember,’ said Rendol, getting out of the co-pilot’s chair and stretching his aching legs and arms. ‘They might not have made it out of the nebula yet.’  
‘Of course,’ said Kyp, but her anxiety levels still high. She didn’t know why but she was feeling more uncertain than ever before. It wasn’t only about Ben and Rey. They had to place their trust in strangers, and although Rey had told her that Maz was more than willing to help them, she didn’t want to impose on anyone either.  
‘We’ll contact them when we get to Takodana,’ agreed Jakk, also getting up from his seat, pleased to have a chance to walk around and see if his wife and children were okay.  
Before he left the cockpit, Rendol patted his wife on the shoulder, ‘Don’t worry about Ben and Rey. They’ve got each other and those wicked lightsabers. The Overseers won’t stop them.’  
‘I know… I just…’  
‘You just need to worry about something,’ Rendol smiled, kissing her hair. ‘I know, it’s in your nature. C’mon, lets go and see the young’uns. They’ll take your mind off things.’  
‘They will.’ Nodding, Kyp followed him into the main hold, trusting that he was right. But the anxiety remained.


	42. The catalyst for war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The merciless destruction of Kijimi by the First Order's new ships from Exegol provides the catalyst that Poe needs to put his strategy into action, especially when it means the loss of an old friend. He makes a speech across the entire Resistance fleet, including Sidon Ithano's ragtag collection of ships, which inspires much needed hope.

‘We’re coming up on Kijimi, Sir.’  
‘Excellent.’ Quinn stood at the window of the Conqueror’s bridge, looking out over the Bryx sector. It had been a long and tiring journey back from Exegol - he did not wish to go there again in a hurry - but now he was back in familiar surroundings. The planet Kijimi lay up ahead, its appearance one of brilliant blue, swathed with bands of white clouds. He thought about the citizens below, going about their ordinary lives, innocent to what was about to happen. It seemed unfair that they would have no indication, no warning of their fate. However, he felt no emotion knowing what he was about to do. They were merely collateral damage in a demonstration of the might of the First Order.  
‘Shall I inform Supreme Leader Hux?’ asked the aide, seeing that Quinn’s attention was elsewhere.  
‘Please do.’ He assumed it would have been obvious to do so.  
The aide went back over to the console to contact the Supreme Leader, and Quinn walked the short distance to the edge of the platform.   
‘Are the new ships in position yet?’ he wanted to know, addressing his query to a pensive young man below him, who was staring at a screen filled with endlessly scrolling information.  
‘They’re coming up behind us, General,’ the young man replied, not daring to take his eyes off the screen. ‘They’ll be visible in 5.03 seconds.’   
Turning back to the large windows, Quinn did not have long to wait until the two Xyston-class Star Destroyers moved slowly past the window. Christened Derriphan and Tanis, the colossal ships headed slowly towards Kijimi. Quinn marvelled at the technology that had produced such spectacular machines, taking the powerful destructive laser cannons first developed for the Empire’s Death Star into a new era, one that would make the First Order even more powerful than the Empire. For now they had a mobile means of threatening any planet or system that stepped out of line. There would be no need for escalation, no demands for capitulation. Only the cold, hard opportunity to annihilate anyone or anything that stood in their way. It was power, pure and unsurpassed.  
‘General Quinn, we have made contact with Supreme Leader Hux.’  
Turning from the window, Quinn greeted the hologram of Hux as it shimmered into life before him. ‘Ah, Supreme Leader, we are in position.’  
‘Splendid.’ The hologram of Hux turned to look out of the window, ‘Magnificent ships, aren’t they?’  
‘They are,’ agreed Quinn, watching as the laser cannons beneath each Star Destroyer were slowly aimed towards the peaceful orb outside. ‘No-one on Kijimi will ever know what hit them.’

On the Organa, Poe was woken up by his comlink bleeping loudly next to him. ‘I don’t believe this,’ he groaned, rolling over to grab it. He had stumbled into bed only an hour before, desperate for some much needed sleep, and already there was something urgent needing his attention. Grabbing the comlink, he stared bleary-eyed at the sender’s details. Immediately he sat up, it was a code that he rarely used. ‘Zorri?’  
‘Poe!’ Zorri sounded scared, desperate. ‘The First Order… they’re threatening to annihilate us. Our entire planet!’  
‘What?’ He leapt out of bed, unsure what to do.  
‘Listen.’   
Straining his ears to hear, he could just make out the voice of General Quinn in the background; ‘…you, the citizens of Kijimi have consistently refused to listen to reason, you have defied the First Order and for that you will be punished. Your planet will be eliminated, like Hosian Prime, serving as an example of what happens when systems refuse to acknowledge the supremacy of the First Order…’  
‘Can you hear that?’ Zorri returned to the speaker, her words coming out in a breathless panic; ‘Ships have appeared, Poe, more ships! You have to do something! You have to help us!’  
The line was breaking up and he did not understand. ‘Zorri, slow down, what’s happening?’  
‘They’re warming up the guns,’ Zorri’s voice reached new heights of urgency, ‘please… dammit, it’s too late. Poe, you have to…’  
The comlink went silent.  
‘Zorri?’ Poe couldn’t believe that she had gone. ‘Zorri? Zorri!. He screamed into the comlink, but it was too late. She had gone. And so had Kijimi.  
Throwing his clothes on, Poe ran as fast as he could to the bridge, finding Connix and D’Arcy still operating the night shift. ‘Search all transmissions on all channels,’ he said hurriedly, taking a seat at an empty console nearby. ‘Look for anything about Kijimi.’  
As Connix got to work, D’Arcy looked at Poe with mounting concern. ‘What’s happened?’  
Poe ran his hands through his thick, dark curls, waiting for his computer to switch on. ‘Something bad.’  
‘Here we go,’ said Connix urgently, turning up the volume on her console so that the entire bridge could hear it.  
Supreme Leader Hux’s snarling voice filled the room. ‘Mere moments ago we executed a planet, a planet that symbolised everything that works against our desire for peace and justice within our galaxy. Rampant crime. Unceasing disorder. But no more! Know that Kijimi has been destroyed as both a warning and a demonstration to the galaxy that the First Order will not be stopped. We will never be stopped! Like Hosian Prime, Kijimi’s annihilation will serve as a reminder that to defy the First Order is to feel our wrath. Be warned that our fleet has more firepower and destructive capability than the Empire itself!’  
Poe’s blood ran cold. Hux was talking about ships that had the capacity to destroy entire planets. Where had he heard that before?  
‘For those systems that remain loyal,’ continued Hux stridently, ‘ there will be rich rewards as we take the First Order into a new glorious phase. Rising from the ashes of the Empire, we have learned from their mistakes and now we will do what the Empire even failed to do. Conquer new galaxies beyond our own. Seek out new resources and new peoples to continue our relentless march towards peace and progress.’  
Unable to hear any more, Poe reached over past Connix and turned the volume down. There was a silence across the bridge as everyone struggled to take on board the implications of Hux’s words. Kijimi was gone. Vaporised by the First Order’s fleet. But not only that, Hux wanted to take his overwhelming need for domination out of their own galaxy and into others. A never-ending quest for more power and resources.   
But Poe was concentrating on one thing, the mistake he had made several days before on the basis of… what, he didn’t know. ‘I’ve been so stupid! Ben and Rey warned us this would happen! And I let it because I was determined not to send the fleet.’ Angry and frustrated with himself, he punched the nearby console.  
‘Poe!’ Connix jumped up from her chair, worried about him. Not knowing what to do, she put her hand on his arm. ‘You didn’t know that Hux would find Exegol so soon.’  
‘No I didn’t,’ said Poe, rubbing his hand. He was calming down after his outburst but he was still annoyed with his decision. ‘But Ben warned me that Hux knew about it. It was staring us in the face all this time.’  
‘What’s done is done,’ said D’Arcy pragmatically, knowing it was no use for Poe to beat himself up about a decision that he had made in the past. ‘The First Order would have found a way to destroy Kijimi, even without those ships. They’ve been threatening it for a long time. Now we have to make sure that no other systems share Kijimi’s fate.’  
‘You’re right,’ sighed Poe, Zorri’s terrified voice still haunting him. ‘We should have been better prepared but it’s too late now to save Kijimi. We need to put our plans into motion, to capitalise on the dissent and fear that this terrible action will create.’  
‘Now is the time to strike,’ agreed Connix, patting his arm affectionately. ‘Whilst we still have a galaxy to defend.’  
‘Contact the entire fleet,’ said Poe, coming to stand behind Connix whilst she sat back down at her console. ‘Make sure we reach everyone, including Lando and the unaffiliated. They all need to hear this.’  
Across the fleet, everyone stopped to hear Poe’s message. On the Statura, Finn, Jannah and Rose were sat together, going over the final details of their strategy. Lando, Prue and Chewbacca were waiting in the Falcon with the Queen of Naboo, patching in Sidon Ithano and his ragtag fleet so that he could hear too. Some knew what had happened to Kijimi, some didn’t. But the coming together of the entire Resistance put everyone on tenterhooks as they waited to hear Poe’s message.  
‘I have bad news,’ said Poe wearily as he spoke into the comlink. ‘Just now, the First Order have demonstrated that they have more firepower than the Empire did, even at its height. They destroyed Kijimi using new ships that have been supplied to them from Exegol, Snoke’s origin planet. I have to confess that I knew about these ships. Rey and Ben Solo contacted me several days ago, warning me to their production and the strong likelihood that these ships would fall into the hands of the First Order…’

In the Statura, Finn’s ears pricked up at the mention of Exegol. ‘So Rey did find the source of the First Order’s resources after all…’  
‘Shhh,’ said Jannah and Rose, trying to listen to Poe’s message.  
‘Sorry.’ Finn kept his thoughts to himself. Where Rey was, and what she was doing, was completely unknown to him. He had tried reaching out to her in the Force a few times when alone, but there had been too many competing sensations and emotions to find anything that resembled the presence that Rey had in his mind. But that fact that Poe had heard from her, and Ben, gave him renewed hope that she was on her way to completing her mission.

‘I’m ashamed to say that I ignored their warning,’ Poe continued, getting to the most difficult and personally painful part of his message. ‘I thought it would be too difficult to send the fleet at this time, knowing that we would need it here, not knowing when the time to strike would come. If any of you doubt my suitability in going forward as your leader, then know this. The destruction of Kijimi will lie heavily on my conscience, knowing that I might have stopped it if only I had made a different decision. But I can assure you that I will never make that mistake again. Because now is the time to strike. The First Order must be stopped!’

Across the fleet, the many diverse members of the Resistance, including pilots and technicians, pirates and scoundrels, ex-stormtroopers and Queens, regarded each other silently, knowing what Poe was about to say. Some moved closer to those around them, others sat alone, needing to process the reality of what Poe was saying without the distraction of friends and colleagues. It was a profound moment for many.

‘As we suspected, Supreme Leader Hux has announced his intentions to expand the reach of the First Order outside of our galaxy,’ Poe went on, regaining his confidence the more he knew he was doing the right thing. ‘To invade others and increase the size his Empire. We cannot let this happen. We oppose their plans with every fibre of our being, and we must prevent them from doing what they have done to Kijimi, and to Hosian Prime, ever again. It will not be easy but we have our strategy prepared. Now we must put it into action.’

On board the Statura, Finn looked across at Rose and Jannah, knowing that the fate of the galaxy was riding on the strategy that they had created and planned together. Silently, they joined hands. At that moment, Finn wished that Poe could be there too, sharing in their love. He felt for his friend, he could hear the pain in his voice, the agony of having to make decisions that did not always lead to the desired result. But that was the risk with any strategy. They had done as much research as they could, studied all the possible variables. But in the end, the outcome was out of their control. They had to believe it would work. And that, for Finn, was where the Force came in.

‘I am sorry that I cannot say this to each and everyone of you in person,’ Poe said with tears in his eyes, holding onto the back of Connix’s chair for support as various emotions fought for dominance inside him. ‘But you know that I will be with you every step of the way. If Leia was here, she would say that you are the strength and spirit of the Resistance. Without you, there would be no one to oppose the First Order, and they would continue to destroy, pillage, and exploit everything that we love. We cannot let them. We must have hope that we will prevail.’ He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. ‘As I said during the Battle of Crait, we are the spark that will light the fire that will burn the First Order down. More than ever, I need you to believe this. I need you to believe that we can turn the tide, that we can convince the ‘lost children’ to lay down their weapons and stop fighting for their oppressors.’ Again he paused, his emotions threatening to get the better of him. ‘You know what to do. See you on the other side. And may the Force be with you.’


	43. The World between Worlds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After following the Shadow into what they thought was a ravine, Ben and Rey arrive at somewhere else entirely, a fiery planet of molten lava and shuddering earthquakes, that almost costs Rey her life. So begins a strange series of events when they jump through space and time to different locations, trying to catch up with the elusive Shadow. But wherever they end up, their lives are inevitably in danger.

‘Where are we?’  
Ben and Rey had entered the fissure, expecting to find themselves inside narrow corridors of rock but instead, they found themselves in a nightmarish world. One of searing heat, choking air, and tall jagged cliffs, towering above fast-flowing rivers of lava. Perched on top of these rivers were heavily armoured droids working with grim purpose, collecting the lava with large, spoon-like tools and loading it into vats that were carried on skiffs beside them.  
‘It’s Mustafa,’ said Ben in confusion, recognising the planet before its exploitation had ended following the collapse of the Empire. But why - and how - had they ended up here?  
‘Why would anyone want to mine such a place?’ asked Rey, coughing as the ash started to irritate her lungs.   
‘We have to get out of here…’ Ben started to say but he was cut off as a sudden tremor shook and shuddered the rocks they were standing on, throwing him to the ground. Before she could react, Rey felt the rock beneath her feet slipping downwards. Gasping, she clutched for something, for anything to stop herself falling but the rock crumbled and she started to fall with it, tumbling down the slope towards the lava. ‘No!’  
‘Rey!’  
Abruptly she felt herself freeze mid-fall and she watched, suspended helplessly, as the rock she had been standing on crashed into the lava, melting immediately in the sheer heat. That it would have been her fate mere seconds ago made her feel sick with fear.   
‘I’ve got you!’  
She heard Ben’s shout from above and realised that it was he who had stopped her from falling. Despite his exhaustion, he had managed to arrest her fall in mid-air. Slowly, he used the Force to raise her up, straining with the effort. As soon as she was back on solid ground, he released her, and she ran to him, embracing him tightly. Grateful for his fast reflexes.  
‘I thought I’d lost you,’ he whispered into her hair, relief flooding through him.  
Keeping together, they looked out across the hellish landscape, searching for better, more solid ground. To their left was a large building with windows all along one side, clinging determinedly to the rocks. An observation deck emerged from it on the right-hand side, before snaking off around the cliffs. As they watched, two men ran out of the building, both of them carrying lightsabers. They started to fight desperately, the clash and hum of their lightsabers reverberating around the rocky valley.  
‘Jedi?’ asked Rey in surprise.  
‘Yeah,’ said Ben in disbelief, staring at the two figures as they fought along the platform.  
‘But how?’ Rey was incredulous.  
‘I don’t know.’ He could only think it was a strange, extended vision that involved all their senses. He held out his hand to her, worried that they would not last long here. The heat and the dust of the atmosphere was unbearable, already it was making his head throb, his lungs hurt and his vision blur. ‘We need to get inside.’  
Taking his hand, Rey suddenly noticed the Shadow gliding along a large platform below them, at the end of which was a sleek, expensive-looking ship, incongruous against the grimy, dirty surroundings. ‘Look!’  
The mountain shuddered, and they climbed down the treacherous rocks as carefully, and quickly, as they could after the Shadow. But by the time they reached the platform, it had vanished again.   
‘Where’s it gone?’  
But Ben had noticed something. ’Over there!’  
Following his line of sight, Rey saw what Ben was referring to. Slumped on her side, lying close to the ship was a young, dark-haired woman, her eyes closed. She was also very pregnant, her light-coloured tunic emphasising the large curve of her stomach. Racing over to her, Rey and Ben wondered what to do. There was no one else around, whoever should have been caring for her had left her stranded.   
Taking her arm, Ben checked the young woman’s pulse, ‘She’s alive,’ he said with relief; he did not know why but there was something about her that reminded him of his mother, Leia. ‘Let’s get her into the ship.’  
It was bound to have a medical facility on board and Rey agreed that it was the best thing they could do for her. The woman was petite and it was easy enough for Ben to scoop her up into his arms and carry her on board, whilst Rey ran up ahead to see if she could find any medical support. The ship was relatively compact and, trying not to get distracted by its interesting hardware and unusual design, Rey quickly found what they needed.  
‘In here!’  
Following her in, Ben laid the young woman onto the medical bay’s couch, then Rey placed the breathing mask over her face. She barely stirred throughout.  
‘I hope she’s going to be okay,’ said Rey, gazing down at the young woman. She was a beauty, that was obvious.  
Ben could not see anything immediately wrong with the young woman. There was no mark on her body. She looked peaceful, as if asleep. ‘She’ll be fine.’  
‘Someone’s coming,’ said Rey, hearing a faint noise outside.  
Quickly, they ran out out the medical bay, and into an adjacent corridor, narrowly missing detection by a droid that was coming up the ship’s entrance ramp.  
‘It’s Threepio,’ whispered Rey in wonder. What connection did Threepio have with the young woman?   
‘Poor Mistress Padme. I wonder where she has got to.’ The droid was fussing about something as usual but was fortunately too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice them. He disappeared into the ship.  
‘Shall we tell him?’ whispered Rey to Ben.  
‘No,’ Ben whispered back, ‘she’ll be safe, let’s go.’  
Making sure the coast was clear, Ben and Rey ran out of the ship only to find themselves in a white corridor, filled with people running and screaming, clutching their belongings, trying to get away from some unknown danger. Buffeted by the crowd, Rey and Ben tried to get their bearings but before they knew what was happening, several laser bolts slammed into the wall behind them. Alarmed, Ben threw himself into Rey, knocking her onto the floor and shielding her with his body. It was just in time - another round of lasers slammed into the wall where they had been standing, burning a large hole in the white panels.  
‘Who’s shooting at us?’ demanded Rey, looking around wildly for their assailants. Finally, she spotted several armour-clad soldiers, eerily similar to First Order stormtroopers advancing from the south, taking potshots at the crowd. Pulling out her blaster, she shot at them, killing two before the remaining stormtroopers realised that she was a threat and took cover.  
‘The Shadow!’   
It was disappearing to the north, heading the opposite way to the panicking crowds. Getting to their feet, the dyad battled their way against the stream of people towards the far corridor, pursued by the stormtroopers. Around the next corner it was quieter. Rey kept on going as Ben found a pillar to act as cover. Putting his hand to his belt, it was only then that he realised he had forgotten his blaster. ’Give me your blaster!’ he shouted to Rey, who was nearly at the end of the corridor.  
Turning round, she threw her blaster to him. Catching it deftly, he aimed carefully and brought the remaining troops down.  
At the other end of the corridor, which formed a junction with two more corridors heading left and right, Rey was about to check that the coast was clear when she stopped abruptly, almost colliding with three people coming from the left. She watched as a suave looking man in a blue shirt, a beautiful young woman dressed in a white jumpsuit, and a tall, hairy Wookie, carrying a golden droid on his back, ran past her and headed towards a quieter part of the complex.  
Staring in amazement, Rey jumped back as three stormtroopers came the same way, chasing after them. Putting her hand to her holster, she realised that Ben still had her blaster. ‘Dammit.’ Turning round, she yelled out, ’Ben!’  
Halfway down the corridor, keeping his eye out for more troops, Ben guessed what she needed and chucked the blaster back to her. Catching it, Rey saw that one of the stormtroopers had stopped and was aiming at Leia’s back. Raising the weapon, she shot them, and the other stormtroopers, dead before any of them knew what was happening.  
‘Well done.’ Ben appeared behind her, his hand on her shoulder. ‘I really need to get one of those.’  
‘Are you alright?’ Rey could sense that he was struggling with something.  
‘Yeah,’ he shook his head to clear it. It was disorientating, he felt as if they were intruding upon the past, influencing things that should be left well alone.  
‘What is this place?’ Everyone seemed to have vanished. The corridor was quiet and Rey realised that she had the chance to breathe normally again. There wasn’t much to see, the corridor was like the other corridors they had been down; smooth, white, panelled in plasteel. It was the view out of the window that captivated her attention. A jumbled collection of buildings, stark against a backdrop of billowing, shifting clouds.  
‘Cloud City.’   
‘What, Lando’s place?’ Rey felt a bit silly, it seemed obvious now she thought about it.  
An idea sparked in his head. ‘I wonder…?’  
Rey stared at him, not comprehending, ‘What?’  
‘Come on,’ Ben started off down the left-hand corridor, from which large windows revealed different perspectives on the sunset, the clouds forming stunning patterns of pinks, oranges and golds, evidence of the gas giant into which the city had been anchored.  
‘Where are we going?’ Rey complained, she had been enjoying the rare moment of calm.  
‘Just a hunch,’ Ben smirked.  
As they jogged through the complex, Rey noticed how eerily quiet it was. In contrast to the chaos they had first encountered, now there was no-one around. The stormtroopers had either done their job well or had no interest in occupying the gas mine once they had got what they wanted. The whole complex had an empty, desolate feel.   
Eventually they came to a tall bank of white, metal lockers secured to the wall. Satisfied that he had found what he was looking for, Ben searched through his pockets of his jacket and pulled out a key.  
‘What’s that?’  
‘Something that Dad gave me years ago,’ he said, checking the number on the key to see if it matched one of the lockers. ‘If I was ever in trouble there would be something in here to help me.’  
‘But why would it be here?’ asked Rey, thinking he was crazy, ‘you’re not even born yet!’  
‘Let’s see.’ Finding the right numbered locker, Ben put the key into the lock. He turned it and the lock clicked. Nervously, he opened the door and peered inside.   
‘Anything there?’ Despite her scepticism, Rey was curious.  
Reaching inside, Ben pulled out a recording device and a BLasTech SE-14r blaster, all shiny surfaces and clean lines. When he pressed the switch on the device, a small hologram of Lando popped up.   
‘Hey kid!’ the hologram said, with a dashing smile, ‘This is your Uncle Lando. I can’t wait to meet you, and I’m sure we’ll have had some great times together already by the time you get this. Your mom tells me that you’re going to be a handful so the galaxy better watch out! But as your dad will tell you, sometimes we get into trouble and we need a little extra help. That’s what the blaster is for. Use it wisely, kid.’   
The hologram winked off and Ben stared at it silently. Lando had always believed in him. His whole family had. How had he gone so far off course?  
‘Are you alright?’ Time was working in mysterious ways and Rey felt unsettled. Had they travelled through a portal or time-slip without noticing? Was time collapsing onto itself?  
‘Yeah.’ Shoving the device back into the locker and closing the door, Ben stuck the blaster into his belt. ‘Let’s go.’


	44. Kyp and her family arrive on Takodana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Kyp and her family arrive on Takodana, they are warmly welcomed by Maz, who tells them that there is no point trying to contact the Resistance. Instead, Kyp and Rendol decide to stay a while, and we find out a bit more about what Maz has been up to.

The prototype Corvette flew down smoothly towards the surface of Takodana, heading for the location of Maz’s makeshift cantina and hostelry. In the cockpit, Kyp and Minna stood behind Jakk and Rendol, marvelling at the scenery opening up before them. Even though Rey had described it to them, it was even more beautiful than either of them could ever have imagined. Before them was a huge lake nestled in the surrounding valley, reflecting the intense blue of the sky, the land around it covered in dense forests almost all the way up to the top of the mountain peaks that marched off into the distance. In the sky they could see what Rey had called birds, swooping down fast to the water and then soaring back up again, free and joyful.  
‘So many trees. Real trees,’ said Kyp, her breath truly taken away. ‘So much water. Real water!’  
Beside her, Minna’s eyes were wide. ‘Rey said that it was the greenest planet she had ever seen.’  
‘Now I know what she meant,’ agreed Kyp, dying to get outside and breathe in real fresh air for the first time in her life. She was so excited she felt giddy. ‘Imagine, people live in surroundings like this all time. I can’t wait to get my toes in that water!’  
‘We better try Ben and Rey first,’ said Rendol, helping Jakk to bring the ship to a gentle, easy landing with lots of other ships parked only a few yards away from the array of tents that were grouped around the ruins of a much larger building. The remains of Maz’s Castle. Colourful flags had been draped all over the ruins, and there were a few patrons pottering about, carrying drinks and plates of food. ‘They must have left Exegol by now.’ It seemed strange that the two Jedi had not contacted them yet, but perhaps their departure from Exegol had been delayed.  
‘Good idea,’ said Kyp, still staring at the scene in front of her, transfixed by its beauty. After living on Exegol for her whole life, she could scarcely believe that it was real. Perhaps it was an illusion that would vanish once she left the ship.  
Rendol tried to initiate contact with the two Jedi using the codes that Rey had given them, but try as they might, they could not get in touch with them. After several, frustrating attempts, Kyp sorrowfully agreed to give up for the time being. Perhaps there was a reason that they could not be contacted, but she did not want to consider the worst case scenario. That they had not even left Exegol. That they had been captured by the Overseers. Even killed. It was impossible for her to contemplate. Instead, she suggested that they try Poe Dameron of the Resistance instead. But that proved equally fruitless, the Resistance leader was no more able to answer their call than Ben or Rey.  
‘Perhaps I’m putting these codes in wrong?’ pondered Rendol, scratching his head.   
‘Or it’s a bad connection?’ suggested Jakk, lifting up the console panel slightly to check the wires.  
‘We’re on our own, aren’t we?’ sniffed Kyp, feeling that her plans were already falling apart and they had barely left Exegol.  
‘It’s okay, love. Let’s go and find this Maz Kanata,’ encouraged Rendol, seeing that Kyp was close to tears. ‘Perhaps she can help us get in contact with the Resistance? Or at least tell us what’s going on.’  
It was the only thing that they could do, and Kyp was beginning to feel that they were very alone and vulnerable. They knew no-one here. Exegol had been a nightmare but they had been secure there; they had jobs, a family, a life. Here they only had each other. It will be okay, she forced herself to think, willing herself to be positive. ‘Okay.’ She wiped her eyes, ‘We’ll go Rendol, the others can stay here for the time being.’ When Minna looked about to complain, she shook her head. ‘No, we need to see what’s going on first. It might be better if we go to one of the other safe ports that Rey suggested, so just sit tight and wait for us to come back.’  
‘Okay,’ grumbled Minna, taking Rendol’s vacated chair so that she could look out onto the gorgeous scenery.  
Leaving the others on the ship, Kyp and Rendol went over towards the ruins to look for Maz. As they walked across the grass towards the tents, they could hear the faint sounds of music floating towards them, a loose, syncopated beat that suggested a relaxed atmosphere. Then there was the air itself. Kyp breathed it in, unable to believe how delicious it was. ‘It’s so fresh!’  
‘I know,’ said Rendol, who was also taking his fill. ‘It’s worth leaving Exegol just for this!’  
‘So you think we did the right thing?’ asked Kyp as she pushed open the flap of one of the larger tents and peeped inside.  
‘Undoubtedly.’  
A rush of warm, stale air hit them as they looked into what turned out to be the main bar of Maz’s hostelry. At its centre, a fire burned, covered in foods of all kinds, some cooking on spits, others laid out on flat, metal plates, sizzling away. The band was performing towards the back, serenading the most diverse group of creatures that Kyp or Rendol had ever encountered before. There were creatures with feathers, tentacles and different coloured skins. Tall creatures, short creatures, and every height in-between. There were pirates, smugglers, bounty hunters and rogue droids, all getting on and enjoying what Maz had to offer them. Used to only humans and Overseers, Kyp found it hard not to stare, but the two of them attracted no more than a curious glance as they came inside the tent. It was clear that they were no-one of importance, and soon most patrons had gone back to their drinks. They were just going to ask where they might find Maz when a diminutive creature came towards them. She was dressed in homespun clothes, a jumper and short vest, and laden with jewellery. But the most curious thing were the large goggles that she wore, covering her eyes, which were huge in her round, wizened face. She smiled at them both, ‘I don’t believe we have met before?’  
‘Not, it’s our first time here,’ said Kyp, seeing that the creature was friendly. ‘We’re looking for Maz Kanata.’  
‘Then we are well met,’ said Maz, because it was her. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?’  
‘We’ve escaped from Exegol,’ explained Rendol, much to Maz’s surprise, ‘Rey told us to come here. She said it would be safe from the First Order.’  
‘I’m glad she did,’ replied Maz, gesturing towards one of the empty tables, ‘You will find a warm welcome here. Come. Sit down. Tell me what brings you here. I’ll get you something to eat and drink.’  
‘We’ve got food in the ship,’ said Kyp, ‘you don’t need to go to any trouble.’  
‘Nonsense,’ said Maz, encouraging them to sit down. ‘Are you the only people in your ship?’  
‘No, our family is waiting for us to…’  
‘Bring them in!’ urged Maz, not wanting to see anyone go hungry. ‘There’s plenty for everyone.’  
‘There’s lots of them,’ Rendol warned, but Maz was having none of it.  
‘Bring them all in, the more the merrier.’  
Joined by their extensive family and friends, Rendol and Kyp sat at the table offered to them by Maz, which was soon covered in food and drink of all kinds. Kyp was embarrassed about her generosity because, as she told Maz, they had no way of paying for it, but Maz told her not to worry. ‘You are my guests. It’s not everyday I get to meet people who have come from Exegol. Most people think it’s a legend.’  
‘But you’ve heard of it?’ Kyp glanced over to where the older children were happily tucking into the food, pleased to have a change from ration bars. Some of the younger ones were already up and dancing to the music, feeling the rhythm through their bodies, much to everyone’s amusement.   
‘Indeed, I have,’ replied Maz, encouraging everyone to help themselves to the food. ‘Don’t be shy!’ Sitting back in her seat, she regarded them both through her oversized goggles. ‘Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master, once told me that there was a source of dark energy somewhere in the galaxy. He thought it was located on Exegol, in the Unknown Regions, but he never had the chance to investigate his hunch. Before he could seek it out, one of his students fell to the dark side and Luke was so devastated that he hid himself away for many years out of guilt and remorse.’  
‘You mean Ben Solo, don’t you?’ said Kyp with a flash of insight. Remembering what Rey had told her.  
Maz nodded, ‘Yes. Ben was the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, a smuggler who used to frequent my bar rather a lot before he settled down. Such a tragedy befell that family when Snoke tempted Ben to the dark side.’ Maz paused for a moment, ‘But he is making up for now, I believe.’  
‘Yes, he came with Rey to Exegol,’ replied Kyp. ‘I could hardly believe he was the same person, he was so helpful and honest.’  
‘Someone’s true character can always return, if they choose it,’ was Maz’s summation, said with a genuine smile.  
‘But Luke was right,’ went on Kyp, ‘there is a source of dark side energy on Exegol. It’s called the Shadow.’  
‘The Shadow?’ repeated Maz. ‘I have heard of something similar from the Pirate Kings of Iridium, who tell of a dark side force that is strong enough to bring plague and famine in its wake. The Knights of Ren also followed a dark side energy called Ren, that took the form of a shadow. An ancient being that existed at the beginning of time.’ Taking a piece of fruit, Maz started to peel it. ‘But enough of the darkness. I’m interested in you! What brings you to Takodana?’  
‘Rey and Ben helped us to escape from Exegol,’ Kyp explained, ‘so that we can help the other humans leave there too. They’re being exploited by the Overseers who rule over us.’  
‘Rey said that we should contact the Resistance, let them know what’s going on there,’ added Rendol, his mouth full of food.  
‘I have heard of the Overseers,’ said Maz, whose brain was stuffed full of information, picked up from all over the galaxy. ‘They supplied ships and resources to the First Order, as well as their leader, Snoke.’  
‘They’ve built a whole new load of ships,’ said Jakk, at the other end of the table, ‘with planet-destroying technology.’  
‘Another reason why we need to warn the Resistance.’  
‘I don’t wish to be the one to break it to you,’ said Maz, pushing her goggles to the back of her head. ‘But I think those ships have already reached us.’  
‘What do you mean?’ asked Kyp with a growing sense of dread.  
‘The planet Kijimi was destroyed only yesterday,’ said Maz, ‘by the First Order.’  
Kyp looked at Rendol, visibly upset. ‘Then it’s too late. Ben and Rey will be devastated.’ She looked back at Maz, ‘They tried to warn Poe, to get him to bring the fleet to Exegol so they could stop the First Order from finding out about the ships. But he couldn’t spare the fleet.’  
Maz nodded, understanding. ‘Where are they now? Ben and Rey?’  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Kyp, ‘they were supposed to be behind us when we escaped from Exegol. But we’ve tried reaching them several times. And nothing.’  
‘We think they might have been captured,’ said Rendol, more ready to face the truth then his partner. ‘The Overseers found out that we were trying to escape, and the two of them stayed behind to distract them whilst we got away. That’s the last we saw of them.’  
‘Then all we can do is wait,’ advised Maz, knowing that she had a difficult message to convey to them. ‘There is no point in trying to reach the Resistance at this time. The fleet has been sent to Naboo and Coruscant to start the fight back against the First Order. Their leader, Poe Dameron, has vowed to bring down the First Order before they obliterate more systems.’  
‘That’s why we couldn’t get in touch with them.’ Kyp understood. What matter was her family and their survival at a time like this? The entire galaxy was threatened by the might of the First Order.   
‘I would advise you to stay here,’ Maz went on. ‘I cannot promise that the war will not reach us here, but I will do all I can to help the Resistance without bringing the First Order down upon me again. You saw the ruins?’  
Kyp and Rendol nodded.  
‘That is from the last time the First Order took an interest in me and my little place. They cannot break our spirit however! So, stay here and after the war is over, I will help you to get in touch with Poe.’  
‘Are you sure?’ Kyp could not believe how helpful Maz was, she did not even know them.  
‘I am quite sure,’ smiled Maz, nibbling at a piece of fruit. ‘Rey sent you here for a reason, and I trust that girl implicitly. She would never forgive me if I turned you away, not that I ever would turn away anyone who came to me for help. You can stay here for as long as you need.’  
‘Thank you so much,’ said Kyp, a smile breaking out across her face. ‘The children will love it here, they can run around the woods, bathe in the lake. It is a beautiful place. Especially after the damage that has been done to Exegol. We have nothing there - no trees, no water. No wildlife.’  
‘Goodness!’ Maz smiled at the children, who were in various states of eating, jumping up and down, or getting to know the other guests. ‘I am not used to having children here. It will be different! But we can ensure that the other guests know to keep them safe.’  
‘Thank you, your kindness is very much appreciated.’ Kyp and Rendol shared a glance, ‘We would like to help out whilst we’re here, we cannot pay you but we can help serve food, clean up… anything you need.’  
Rendol shrugged, ‘I can even have a try at a musical instrument. Whatever you need.’  
Maz considered it. ‘I may take you up on that! I am always in need of extra hands, and if it would make you happy…?’  
‘It would.’ Kyp hated the idea that Maz would have all of them foist upon her like this, although she was amazingly laid-back about it.   
‘As I said, you are my guests,’ insisted Maz, reaching out for Kyp’s hand. ‘Over hundreds of years I have met many people, creatures of many different species. Most of us are driven by the same things; the need to be safe, to find belonging, to be loved. We all find those things in different ways, but there are patterns that can be observed too. I see your eyes and all I see is the need to make a better life, for yourselves and for others who cannot do it for themselves. You have a true and pure heart, Kyp Dala.’  
‘Thank you.’ Kyp’s anxiety melted away in the face of Maz’s kindness and generosity. She knew that her family would be safe here on Takodana.


	45. From Jakku to Hosian Prime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey continue their search for the Shadow, which takes them first to Jakku, for another meeting with Ochi, and then to Hosian Prime, the setting for the Napkin Bombing. On Jakku, Rey gives into her violent tendencies when she is confronted with her parents, and it is up to Ben to try and convince her that it does not mean she is slipping back to the dark side.

‘What the…?’  
They had been in Cloud City, looking for a way out of the endless corridors, but in the next moment Ben and Rey found themselves in the hot desert, the sun beating down on their heads.  
‘I know this place.’ Staring at the bleak, undulating landscape in front of them, Rey recognised it immediately. ‘It’s the Plaintive Hand!’  
‘The Observatory?’ Ben already felt hot and sweaty, his clothing unsuited to desert temperatures. There was also a strange, raw energy emanating from the sand dunes around them, increasing his anxiety. ‘Do we want to go there?’  
‘Yes.’ Rey saw the Shadow disappearing behind the dunes.  
‘Oh, great.’ Heaving a sigh, Ben followed Rey across the sand. By the time they got to the entrance to the Observatory, its dome bone white in the scorching sun, the Shadow had disappeared again. Parked next to it was a large, grey corvette, one that Rey recognised immediately. ‘That’s Ochi’s ship.’  
‘Who’s Ochi?’  
‘A Sith assassin and relic hunter.’  
‘Sounds like a lovely person,’ grumbled Ben, ‘just the kind of person we want to meet.’ He wondered how Rey was familiar with him. Then he remembered the Sith knife that she was carrying around with her and it clicked into place.  
‘I’m not fond of him either,’ agreed Rey, thinking that meeting Ochi once was enough for one lifetime.  
‘Listen!’  
From inside the complex came the sound of voices screaming in terror, magnified by the Force. Glancing at each other, Ben and Rey knew that someone needed their help.  
‘Is this the only way in?’ asked Ben, staring down into the sandy hole that punctuated through the Observatory’s dome.  
‘I’m afraid so.’  
He gestured towards the narrow confines of the tunnel and said gallantly, ‘Ladies first.’  
Feeling a sense of deja vu, Rey squeezed herself into the tunnel and slid down into the complex proper, closing her eyes and clamping her hand over her mouth as the sand swirled around her. Emerging into the courtyard, she rolled gracefully across the sand-covered stones, coming to a stop just before the entrance. A far less graceful Ben shot out of the tunnel a few minutes later, coughing and spluttering and ploughing to a stop just behind her. ‘That was fun.’  
As Ben got to his feet, dusting the sand away from his pants, Rey looked around. The courtyard appeared to be the same as when she had first explored it but as she listened, faint sounds could be heard coming from deep inside the observatory. It sounded like someone shouting… or crying.  
Following the noise, Rey and Ben headed inside, jogging towards the main chamber at the heart of the complex. Someone was shouting in heavily accented Basic, demanding to know where they had hidden it. At the same time, a woman could be heard weeping, a man’s voice pleading. They sounded desperate.   
Creeping to the entrance of the chamber, Rey peered inside. She could see Ochi, standing over a shabbily dressed man and woman, their hands bound behind their backs. The Sith acolyte, who had his back to Rey, was threatening them with a blaster.   
With a start, Rey knew who the two people were.  
For the first time since they had left her, she saw the faces of her parents. Her mother was young, her face thin and streaked with tears. Dark blonde hair was drawn back into three messy buns, the same as Rey used to wear. Her father’s face was worn and weary, a scrappy beard covering his deeply tanned skin, the sign of a lifetime of being outside in the harsh sun. Both of them were terrified, unable to do anything to save themselves from the menacing Sith acolyte.   
Tears filling her eyes, Rey’s heart went out to her parents. She could feel their fear, their guilt and shame for disturbing the secrets of the observatory. Secrets they had tried to bury away without success. Secrets that had broken them and ruined their lives.  
‘Where is it?’ Ochi growled, pushing the blaster hard against her mother’s forehead. The young woman whimpered, too frightened to speak. ‘Tell me or I cut your throats.’  
Something snapped inside Rey. Recklessly, she ignited her lightsaber and stepped out into the chamber. ‘Leave them alone!’ she yelled, baring her teeth in anger.  
Ochi whirled around, stunned by Rey’s appearance. Lifting his blaster he fired shot after shot at her, but she deflected them one by one with her lightsaber, advancing on him mercilessly.  
Leaving Rey to deal with Ochi, Ben ran over to Rey’s parents, who stared at him in disbelief as he undid their binders.  
‘Who are you?’ asked Rey’s mother shakily, rubbing her wrists.  
‘A friend,’ said Ben, pushing them both towards the tunnel, ‘Now go!’  
Alarmed and awed by his appearance, Rey’s parents did not need any more encouragement to leave. With one last glance at Ochi, who was being menaced by Rey, they ran for the exit, hurrying out as fast as they could manage.  
As soon as her parents had left, Ben turned his attention to Rey. After disarming Ochi, she had backed the acolyte into a corner and was holding her lightsaber to his throat. She looked dangerously close to murdering him.   
‘Rey,’ he said to her gently, hoping to calm her. ‘Leave him.’  
‘I can’t,’ she said grimly, not taking her eyes off the Sith assassin. ‘He’ll go after them.’  
Ochi hissed at her in an unknown language, pure hatred in his eyes. But he didn’t dare fight. He recognised two powerful Jedi when he saw them. Their existence would be something to report back to his master.  
‘Hold on.’ Picking up the binders from the floor, Ben came over. Grabbing the creature’s hands, he forced the binders onto his wrists and his ankles, ignoring Ochi’s struggles, and locked them into place. Standing back, he surveyed the assassin with satisfaction. ‘You won’t be going anywhere for a while.’  
‘E chuda!’ Ochi spat, glaring at them both.  
‘Now, now,’ said Ben, wagging his finger. He looked over to where Rey was breathing deeply, trying to calm herself after her outburst. ‘Ready to go?’  
‘Yes.’ Rey was unsure of herself, not liking her extreme reaction. ‘Where are my parents?’  
‘Outside…’ Ben started to say, but Rey was already on her way out, thinking that her parents might be still out there. The chance to talk to them, to reach out to them, was foremost in her mind.  
‘Rey!’ Leaving Ochi bound in the corner, cursing under his breath, Ben ran after her out into the corridor, only to find himself somewhere else entirely.  
He joined Rey in a quiet, light-filled hallway, part of a complex of important-looking buildings, the rest of which could be glimpsed outside. The ceiling was high, the tiled floor smooth and shiny, looking like it had been recently, and arduously, polished. Natural light flooded in through a series of windows down one side of the corridor, looking out onto a garden of trees and flowers that were arranged in elaborate patterns. On the opposite wall were paintings of abstract colours and shapes, brightening up the otherwise neutral decor. The artworks were interspersed with sets of doors that, most likely, led into equally grand and well proportioned rooms.  
‘How does this keep happening?’ Rey felt dizzy, the frequent changes in place and time beginning to get to her.  
‘I don’t know,’ said Ben, feeling as confused as she was. But he also wondered if the experience with Ochi had taken its toll on her. ‘Are you okay?’  
‘Not really,’ Rey admitted, feeling ashamed. ’I shouldn’t have gotten so angry.’  
‘Those were your parents?’ he asked her. When she nodded, he put his arms around her, ‘It was instinctive, you saw they were in pain.’ When she looked away, unable to meet his eyes, he went on, ‘You wanted to help. It’s natural.’  
‘But I gave into my anger,’ she sighed. He was trying to make her feel better but she wasn’t sure that she wanted him to. It had happened before; the slippery slope downwards of relying too much on her anger, culminating in her act of violence on Kef Bir that she still could not bear to think about. Instinctively, her hand reached out to his stomach, hovering over where she had hurt him.  
‘Only for a moment,’ he shrugged, ‘and you had good intentions.’  
‘It’s not the Jedi way,’ she found herself saying.  
‘Stuff the Jedi,’ frowned Ben, wondering why she was still holding onto an ideal. ‘Anger can be a force for good, as well as for evil.’  
‘What do you mean?’  
‘D’you think you would have wanted to help Kyp so much if you hadn’t been angry at her treatment by the Snokes?’ A noise from far away distracted him, reminding him to focus on their surroundings. He stroked her hair away from her face. ‘Let’s talk about this later.’  
Rey forced herself to focus on their surroundings. ’Where are we anyway?’  
‘I might be mistaken,’ said Ben, letting her go to look out of the window, ‘but I think we’re in the Senate building on Hosian Prime.’ Hosian Prime…. The system that he had watched being destroyed by Starkiller Base. A calamity that he had done nothing to stop, although he had disagreed with it.  
Rey saw conflicting emotions cross his face, ‘You’ve been here?’  
‘Once, when I was young.’ Before he had been sent away for his Jedi training, he had once come to see where ‘mama worked,’ as the government of the New Republic was moved from Chandrila to Hosian Prime. He remembered clutching her hand nervously, impressed by the impossibly huge and grand building, over-awed by the sense of history and legacy that it represented.  
With Ben lost in memories, Rey noticed a change in the atmosphere, the arrival of unaccountable malevolence. Looking down the corridor, she saw the Shadow disappearing into one of the doors at the far end. She pointed it out to Ben.  
‘I see it.’  
They were about to follow it but then they were suddenly somewhere else, in a low ceilinged room, its plain design suggesting that they were now in the basement. A row of boilers filled most of the centre of the room, from the top of it, a complex network of tubes and pipes disappeared off into the ceiling. The rest of the room was filled with boxes, stacked high.  
‘Someone’s coming,’ warned Rey, hearing a soft click from the door as it unlocked. Quickly, they both hid behind a pile of the boxes, crouching low to avoid detection.  
The door opened and a young, female Twi’lek came in, dressed in a smart uniform. She was carrying a large box, ostensibly filled with cloth napkins. Putting the box down, she checked the corridor outside and then quietly shut the door. Focused on her task, she did not notice Rey and Ben. As they watched, the Twi’lek removed the top layer of napkins to reveal a large, rectangular object inside the box, red and green wires sticking out of it. Carefully, she took the object out of the box and placed it in-between the boilers. She made some adjustments to the wires and pressed a switch. Immediately the object came to life, red and green lights flashing on its surface. From her pocket she removed a small holo-pad into which she typed some numbers. The red and green lights stopped flashing and became constant. Satisfied, the Twi’lek left the room, locking the door behind her.  
Realising what the device was, Rey was about to go over to it when she found herself back in the corridor with Ben. Immediately they shared the same thought.   
Bomb!  
‘I know this,’ murmured Ben, explaining to Rey that in the days before the First Order, a bomb had ripped apart the Senate building when a group of senators, including his mother, had met there for a meeting. He had been training with Luke when it had happened. The message from Leia telling them that she was safe had not reached them for several weeks, only to be superseded by the whole galaxy finding out - before he did - that his mother was Darth Vader’s daughter. Looking back, he could see this as the beginning of his spiral downwards and the knowledge of it still burned him up inside. But he had to focus. ’There’s no time to find the bomb,’ he said to Rey, ‘We have to warn my mother somehow.’  
Already they could see a group of finely dressed figures walking through the gardens towards the entrance, the unsuspecting senators arriving for their meeting.  
They ran to the room at the end of the corridor, suspecting that the Shadow had entered it for a reason. Pushing open the heavy door, inside they found a banqueting room laid out for a meal, each place replete with plates, cutlery and colourful cloth napkins. A velvet runner covered the length of the long table, and delicate paper streamers decorated each place. It was over the top, the most elaborate set-up for a meal that Rey had ever seen and she gasped when she saw it.  
But where would she sit? Relaxing his mind, Ben tried to visualise where they would place his mother. Knowing her reputation and her seniority within the Senate, he imagined she would be at the head of the table, furthest away from the exit, something which he knew his mother would loathe…  
Rey piped up, ‘There’s names.’  
‘Oh.’ He headed down to the end of the table where he found his mother’s name, printed onto a decorated piece of card. It pleased him, however, that he had guessed where she would sit correctly.  
‘But how can we warn her?’ Rey had no idea.  
Searching in his pockets, Ben found a pen. Pulling it out, he hastily wrote ‘Run’ on one of the paper streamers that lay across his mother’s plate.   
Rey watched, fascinated by the loops and swirls of ink. ‘Will she understand?’  
‘I hope so.’ Ben adjusted the napkin so it partially hid the streamer, just in case any over-eager staff removed it before his mother could see it.  
There was just enough time for them both to leave the room before the senators arrived. They hid in an adjacent corridor as the group came in via a set of doors at the far end, led by several members of the Senate house team wearing similar uniforms to the Twi’lek they had seen earlier.  
Ben could see his mother was towards the back of the group. Dressed in a simple gown, and the minimal jewellery she favoured, Leia was walking with the Loneran senator he vaguely remembered from his childhood, one of his mother’s closest friends. He felt an ache in his heart, reminded once more than he had been unable to make his peace with her before she died. If only he could speak to her now, to let her know that he was sorry.  
Beside him, Rey watched, fascinated. Hosian Prime was an entirely different world from the one that she had grown up in. The grandeur of its buildings, the comfortable elegance of its clothes, the formal chit-chat and good manners were absolutely alien to the dust, heat and aggression of Jakku. It was the world that Ben had grown up in and she wondered why he despised it so much.  
‘Because it’s all surface and no depth,’ Ben said quietly, unable to hide his cynicism. ‘Half of these senators abandoned their support for my mother as soon as they found out she was Vader’s daughter. Why do you think the Resistance was so poorly supported?’  
Rey looked at him sharply, ‘Because Leia was a Skywalker?’  
‘Yes.’ He watched as Leia entered the room, hoping that it would not be long before she found their note. Who knew how long they had before the bomb exploded? ‘They thought she meant to deceive them as to her true origins.’ As did I, he was ashamed to remember.  
The staff shut the doors behind them once all the senators were inside the room. Ben and Rey spent a tense few minutes waiting to see what would happen. Suddenly the doors were flung open and the senators came rushing out, Leia towards the front of the group. Their plan had worked!  
As the senators hurried out of the building, loud alarms went off, warning everyone to go outside.  
‘Come on!’  
Ben and Rey were just heading towards the doors when there was a huge explosion of heat, light and noise from behind them, flinging them both to the ground. Before she lost consciousness, the last thing that Rey remembered was the pungent smell and stinging sensation of the smoke that surrounded her. Then it all disappeared into darkness.


	46. Leading the charge on Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In charge of a team that includes Rose and Jannah, Finn leads the Resistance offensive on the ground, whilst Poe commands the fleet up above. It is a difficult task - whilst Poe keeps the fleet busy, Finn and his team have to try and turn as many stormtroopers as they can against the First Order, using a mixture of methods that are not always successful. With MC's support - infiltrating the First Order's communication systems to play a pre-recorded message from Poe - and the deserters that are already on the ground, Finn and his friends battle across the city, their aim is to take the area around the Senate buildings and Chancellor's office. Expect lots of fighting, violence and unexpected twists. Meanwhile, the First Order senior officers are beginning to realise that something troubling is happening.

The Statura sped through hyperspace, heading for Coruscant. One of many ships that were part of the Resistance fleet. On board, Jannah made her way through the busy corridor, nodding to the technicians and operatives that she recognised. The whole ship was in a state of high anticipation and preparation for the final offensive against the First Order. The atmosphere was highly charged and Jannah could almost feel everyone’s emotions as if they were tangibly floating around her. For her own part, Jannah was calm. The most terrified she had ever been was when she had almost been herded onto the First Order transport headed for Ansett Island, clutching her blaster in her armoured hand, knowing that she was about to do something that she fundamentally disagreed with. Compared to that experience, everything else paled into insignificance.  
Reaching the bridge, she pushed past two team members who had inconveniently decided to strike up a conversation right outside the entrance, and went over to one of the computer terminals. At it was sat Rose and Finn, both paying close attention to a complicated diagram projected onto the screen, a map of the city planet of Coruscant.  
‘What’s up?’ Finn leaned over the back of the chair to smile up at Jannah.  
‘I’ve just spoken to Prue, and Dad’s in place now, he’s just waiting for another couple of pirates to join them.’  
Finn shook his head, knowing that Jannah meant actual pirates. ‘What are we doing?’  
‘Saving the galaxy,’ muttered Rose, focusing on the map. It was hard work, the city of Coruscant was a maze of streets, tunnels and skyways, and that was just above ground. Trying to work out the best path into the centre, to where the Senate and Chancellor’s Office lorded it over the immense plaza, was giving her a headache.  
‘You know where we’re going yet?’ Jannah put her hand on Rose’s shoulder, massaging it slightly. Already she could feel the tension there.  
‘I think so.’ Rose looked at Finn ruefully, ‘if I don’t get a headache first.’ It had only been a couple of hours, but Rose felt like she had been staring at the map all day.  
Seeing that tempers were getting frayed, Jannah asked hesitantly, ‘Have we got time to run through the plan one last time?’  
Looking over to another part of the console, Finn glanced at the countdown, ‘Before we leave hyperspace? Sure.’  
Grabbing an empty chair, Jannah pulled it over and sat down beside Rose. ‘I've spoken to the squad, there’s fifteen of them. Seossara Thwisp has a good knowledge of Coruscant from her intelligence days.’  
‘Great. And how many do we think are on the ground?' asked Finn.  
Jannah checked her data-pad, ‘Fifty-two at last count. But Kandor’s last message said more deserters had joined them since the destruction of Kijimi, so there might be nearer sixty now.’  
‘It all counts,’ agreed Rose, clicking on the screen to download the annotated map of Coruscant onto her hand-held device. She had adapted it from one of the larger data-pads, helped by the Master Codebreaker, or MC as he was now known. As well as helping Rose to hack into the First Order’s computers, MC had been working on developing a scrambler that would allow them to slip past the blockade without being noticed. Much to Rose’s surprise, he had proved a valuable addition to the Resistance and she was actually starting to get quite fond of him.  
‘Right, so once we come out of hyperspace, Poe will lead the fleet against the blockade,’ said Finn, ‘whilst we scramble the First Order’s trackers to create a diversion and get down to the surface.’   
‘They’ll drop us off in the industrial district,’ said Rose, clicking on the relevant part of the map, highlighted in yellow. ‘MC’s identified a warehouse where he and his team will be waiting for us, located in Block 0-0-558’  
‘And these are the areas that we’ll be leafletting?’ Jannah looked at a note on her data-pad.  
‘That’s right,’ said Finn, ‘the ship’ll drop those just before we land. Then, once we’re landed, we liaise first with MC to get the broadcasts started, and once that’s complete, we’ll liaise with Kandor and the rest of the deserters on the corner of Blocks 0-0-556 and 0-0-557.’  
‘What happens if we meet hostile troops?’ asked Jannah, concerned. ‘If we start shooting, how can we claim the moral high ground?’  
‘That’s the tricky bit,’ admitted Finn, scratching his cheek. ‘We’ve gotta try and attack without taking many casualties, unless they prove stubborn of course. We’ve got to try and reach out to them as much as we can, tell them that we were stormtroopers too. It’ll be tough but if they’ve seen the leaflets, or heard the broadcast, it’s got to help turn them around.’  
‘Hopefully we’ll have strength in numbers,’ said Rose, spinning her chair around to face Jannah. ‘If there’s enough of us, they might think twice before they shoot us.’  
‘Hopefully they’ve been ordered to capture us rather than kill us,’ said Finn, ‘captives will be higher priority for Hux as a means to leverage a surrender.’  
Jannah nodded. ‘If that happens we work on our captors, right?’  
‘That’s right,’ Finn nodded. ‘We need to convince as many stormtrooper units as we can to lay down their weapons. The more that join us, the more successful we’ll be.’  
‘Then, when we get to Monument Plaza, that’s the signal for the fleet to join us,’ Jannah went on.  
‘If they can,’ agreed Rose, looking at the major landmarks on the map. According to their intel, there was a ring of AT-M6s and AT-STs protecting the Senate building and the Chancellor’s Office, and the fleet was needed to help subdue it. ‘But we need a back-up plan in case they can’t. If we can capture at least one of their machines, it might help turn the battle in our favour.’  
‘There’s so many unknowns, aren’t there?’ sighed Jannah, feeling anxious.   
‘I know, we’re going in without enough information,’ sighed Rose.  
Finn agreed, but conceded that, ‘We can’t leave things any longer. If we do, more systems will suffer the same fate as Kijimi.’  
‘It’s now or never’, said Jannah.  
‘We’re coming out of hyperspace in zero five point oh minutes,’ said Commander Offee from across the bridge.  
‘Time to get prepared,’ said Finn, grabbing his data-pad and bounding out of his seat. As soon as they were out of hyperspace, it would not be long before the signal from Poe came to start their descent down to the surface of Coruscant. Already his stomach was tingling with nerves, the anticipation of what they would find, whether their crazy plan would work, dominating all other thoughts in his head.  
They headed away from the bridge, going to the locker room where their armour and weapons were waiting. Rose went straight to her numbered locker, opening the metal door to reveal an armoured vest, light combat jacket, heavy boots, and a number of different blasters to choose from. Putting her data-pad into a specially adapted pocket in her jacket, Rose dressed quickly, pulling her armoured vest on over her head, making sure that it was fastened tightly to her body, Pulling on her jacket, she pushed two blasters into the holsters on her belt before removing her lighter boots and replacing them with the heavier versions. Immediately she felt better protected, grabbing a couple of ration bars for sustenance before closing the locker door. Glancing over to her friends, she saw that Jannah and Finn were dressed in a similar fashion, Jannah tying her thick hair back into a tight bun. As soon as they were all ready, she followed them out of the locker room and to the airlock where the rest of their team were waiting.  
Their leader, Seossara Thwisp nodded at them as they approached. Thwisp was nearly sixty, a seasoned veteran, still feisty, following the example of General Leia. Like her role model, she wore her white hair braided tightly around her head. ‘We’re ready to follow you wherever you command,’ she said crisply.  
‘You’re familiar with the plan?’ checked Finn, relieved when Thwisp nodded. ‘Then you know that as soon as we’re dropped on the surface, it’s straight to the warehouse to meet the first contact.’  
‘Yes, General Danu. We have all made sure that we are familiar with the strategy developed by yourself and your colleagues.’  
Suddenly, alarms rent the air. The sign that the ship was coming out of hyperspace. Immediately, Finn tensed. It was the point of no return. Silently, he reached out and took Rose’s hand and Jannah’s hand, ‘Here we go.’  
They felt the ship slowing down then shaking slightly as it returned to sublight engines, emerging into the Coruscant system. There were no windows in this part of the ship and it was impossible to know what was happening outside it. Finn reached out with the Force, trying to estimate how far they were away from Coruscant, and he was certain that he felt a shadowy presence in his mind, whatever, or whoever, it was assaulted him with a mixture of fear and arrogance, secure in the knowledge that they were protected by the menacing ring of ships positioned around the city planet.  
The ship changed course, plunging downwards. The gravity was slow to adjust and everyone felt their stomachs heave in response. Finn adjusted his balance to avoid falling into the wall of the corridor, grabbing on to Rose as she lurched sideways in response to the ship shaking and shuddering. ‘Okay?’  
‘Thanks,’ she said, planting her feet more firmly to avoid the same thing happening again.  
‘We’re beginning our descent to the planet’s surface,’ came the pilot’s voice over the speakers above their heads. ‘We’re coming under heavy fire.’  
‘Come on, Poe,’ whispered Finn, focusing hard on maintaining his balance as the ship shifted and shook, buffeted by lasers. ‘Do your magic.’  
‘I wish we could see what’s going on outside,’ muttered Jannah, her nerves shaken.  
It seemed to take an eternity as they headed down to the surface of Coruscant, and there were several sharp turns and false moves before the ship settled into a more constant descent. ‘We’re finally through the blockade,’ reported the pilot, ‘transmissions have been scrambled. The fleet are on the attack.’  
‘Good old MC,’ said Rose quietly, provoking a curious look from Jannah, which made her cheeks go hot.  
‘You like him, don’t you?’  
‘He’s alright,’ was all Rose would admit, although the truth was a little more complicated.  
‘C’mon you two,’ remarked Finn, seeing they were getting distracted. ‘We’ll be there in a minute.’  
The tension built as the ship continued its descent. Nervously, Rose played with her blaster, dreading the moment that the doors would open. Although they had been planning their strategy for a long time, she did not feel ready for the moment of execution. Suddenly, they felt the ship starting to slow down, getting ready for landing. There was a rumble as the airlock doors started to open. Immediately, everyone tensed, it was almost time to leave.  
The doors opened, revealing an empty wasteland beneath them, broken concrete interspersed with weeds. Scattered across the ground were lots of white pieces of paper, drifting in the breeze.  
‘Go! Go! GO!’ yelled Finn, motioning everyone to follow him. Leaping out of the airlock, he was immediately assaulted with blaster fire. The landing ship had been spotted by a nearby patrol of stormtroopers, who were heading across the wasteland towards them. Finn fired back, making sure to hit the ground rather than the troops themselves, sending dirt and gravel high into the air. ‘We need to find cover! Quickly!’ The ship was already blasting back off into the sky, leaving them wide open to the elements, and to hostile troops.  
‘Over there!’  
There was an old rubbish heap to the far side of the wasteland, overgrown with grass and weeds, and Finn led the team over to it, still exchanging fire with the stormtroopers but trying to avoid any fatal injuries. Already he could see one of the troops picking up a leaflet, he sensed their curiosity through the Force.  
Reaching the rubbish heap, they all dived behind it, taking shelter from the persistent fire.  
‘We need to get them on side!’ yelled Jannah but so far there had been little opportunity, although Finn noticed that the stormtrooper that had picked up the leaflet was showing it to one of their comrades.  
Whilst Finn and Jannah kept purposefully missing the stormtroopers, Rose got out her data-pad, ‘The warehouse is behind those troops,’ she said to Finn, pointing it out whilst the rest of the team continued to protect their position.  
‘Of course it is,’ complained Finn, but he could see that the leaflet was having an impact. Already, three of the troops had stopped firing, and were looking over towards them. Unfortunately, the helmets gave nothing away but Finn could sense their confusion through the Force. ‘The leaflet’s working,’ he said to Jannah, who stopped firing, wondering what would happen next.  
In front of them they could see the stormtroopers had stopped firing, talking amongst themselves. One of them, brandishing a leaflet, dropped their blaster and, holding up their hands, walked cautiously over to the centre of the wasteland. ‘Hey! You there?’  
‘What?’ Finn called back, lowering his own blaster.  
‘Is this true?’  
‘Is what true?’  
‘That the First Order took us from our families?’  
‘Yes, it’s all true.’  
‘How do you know?’  
‘We were stormtroopers, just like you.’ This time it was Jannah who spoke, standing up so that the stormtrooper could see her. ‘We found out that the First Order had taken us from our families when we were babies. They lied to us. They lied to us all.’  
Lowering his hands, the stormtrooper looked at the leaflet again. ‘And you can help us? Find out who we are?’  
‘We can.’ Boldly, Jannah came down from the heap and went towards the stormtrooper, keeping her hands visible.  
‘What is she doing?’ hissed Rose, terrified for her friend. Her hand went to her blaster.  
Finn gently put his hand on hers, ‘It’s okay. There’s no intention to hurt her.’  
‘Are you sure?’ Rose felt tense, watching as Jannah walked slowly over to the figure in the middle of the wasteland. Behind them, the group of stormtroopers watched, spellbound. Wondering what was going to happen.  
‘We’ve got access to a First Order database,’ Jannah continued, almost reaching the stormtrooper. She stopped about a metre away. Held out her hand. ‘Will you help us? Will you turn your back on the First Order like we did?’  
‘We don’t owe them anything,’ muttered the trooper. Slowly, they reached up and removed their helmet, throwing it onto the ground. It was a young man, his blonde hair cropped short, his blue eyes sad and fearful. ‘Do we?’  
‘No we don’t,’ said Jannah, keeping her eyes on his. Slowly, ever so slowly, she reached out her hand further towards him. ‘Come with us. Find out the truth.’  
For a tense moment the man stared at Jannah’s hand. Almost as if he was too afraid to make the change. But then, suddenly, he reached out and took it. ‘I will come with you. I want to know the truth.’ Tears flooded his eyes. ‘I want to know who I am. Where I come from.’  
‘We can help you,’ replied Jannah, squeezing his hand tightly. ‘I promise.’  
‘Jannah! Get down!’ Finn yelled, sensing a change in mood from one of the stormtroopers behind them.  
Throwing herself down, Jannah grabbed her blaster as one of the stormtroopers from behind shot their former comrade.   
‘Traitor!’   
‘Argh!’ The blue eyed man fell to the ground, clutching at his side.  
‘Shit!’ Finn leapt up, his own blaster at the ready, as Rose did the same. But Jannah was already on to it, shooting the stormtrooper dead before he could hurt anyone else.  
The rest of the squad put their hands up, showing that they had nothing to do with their comrade’s actions. ‘Please don’t shoot!’  
‘Watch them,’ said Jannah to Finn and Rose as they ran over to join her, then she went over to where the stormtrooper without a helmet was lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Crouching down, she put her hand on his shoulder. ‘D’you think you can walk?’  
The man nodded, trying to smile. ‘They got my stomach, not my legs.’  
‘That’s the spirit,’ said Jannah, ‘here, let me help you.’ Putting his arm around him, she helped the man to stand up. Looking over to her friends, she saw that the rest of the squad had removed their helmets like their comrade. There were three men and two women, blinking in the sunlight. They were talking to Finn and Rose, looking at the leaflets, whilst Jannah helped bring their wounded comrade over to them. Remembering the rest of their squad, she shouted back to them, ‘It’s okay! Threat’s neutralised!’  
‘Okay!’ Thwisp’s voice came loudly from behind the rubbish heap.  
Jannah and the wounded man came over to where Finn was explaining who they were to the rest of the deserters. ‘We can get you to a safe place,’ he said, ‘where there are other ex-stormtroopers like us.’  
‘And they’ll help us?’ asked one of the women, her dark eyes confused.  
‘They will,’ said Finn, ‘I can promise you that.’ He could sense that they were all terrified, their sense of identity battered by the revelations. That the First Order had lied to them. He turned to Jannah, ‘Have you got the details?’  
‘Yeah.’ Searching in her coat, Jannah fished out the data-pad and handed it to Finn. To the stormtrooper she said, ‘Are you okay to go with your friends? I’m needed somewhere else.’  
‘Sure.’  
‘It’s okay, I’ll take him,’ said a large, burly-looking man. He was surprisingly tender with his comrade, making Jannah think that they had formed close bonds within the squad, like she had with hers.  
‘It’s a shame your friend there was so angry,’ she said, letting go of the deserter now that his friend had got him securely.  
‘He’s always been a wildcard,’ said the larger man, making sure that his friend was okay, ‘there’s always one, isn’t there?’  
‘One that enjoys the killing,’ said one of the women, scratching her short red hair.  
‘You didn’t?’  
‘I don’t know many that did,’ she shrugged, looking at her colleagues for confirmation. ‘It was just part of what we had to do.’  
‘Like everything else, we didn’t have much of a choice,’ said another of the men.  
‘We want to give you the choice,’ said Rose, who had been listening with interest to the exchange between the stormtroopers and Jannah. ‘We don’t want you to fight with us, all we want you to do is lay down your weapons and stop fighting for the First Order.’  
‘Happy to do that,’ said the larger man, who seemed to be in charge of the squad. ‘As JK-7869 said, we don’t owe them anything.’  
‘No, you don’t,’ agreed Finn, thinking that they needed to get going, as much as he wanted to help the stormtroopers, they had a mission to achieve. Trusting the squadron leader, he handed him a data-stick. ‘This will take you to the safe place. Ask for Kandor and tell them that Finn, Jannah and Rose sent you.’  
‘Right,’ said the man, taking the data-stick from Finn. ‘We ask for Kandor, and say Finn, Rose and Jannah sent us.’  
‘That’s right,’ smiled Rose, ‘ten out of ten.’  
The squad started to move away, but the larger man turned to Jannah. ‘You’ll go easy on the others won’t you?’  
‘We will,’ Jannah nodded, sensing his concerns. She felt bad about killing his comrade despite his actions, thinking she should have tried harder to incapacitate him instead. ‘We’re all lost children. We don’t want to kill anyone if we can help it. Everyone deserves a chance to find out the truth.’  
‘Lost children, I like that. Come on,’ he said to his friend, JK-7869, ‘let’s get you somewhere safe so we can take a look at that wound of yours.’  
‘Thank you,’ JK-7869 called to Jannah as he limped away, his friend’s arm held tightly around him.  
‘Spread the word if you can,’ she called back, ‘we need all the help we can get to bring down the First Order.’  
Rounding up the rest of the squad, who had been making sure that the way forward was clear, Finn, Jannah and Rose headed in the direction of the warehouse where MC had been hiding out with the rest of his team for several weeks. Jogging behind Jannah, Rose felt her stomach flip-flop at the thought of meeting up with MC. Despite her apparent coolness towards him, her real feelings were more complicated, fuelled by their growing contact over recent weeks. They had spent some time together, albeit at a distance, and Rose had got to know more about the man that existed under the myth he had created around himself. Like many people, she found that he had been missing a purpose in life, something he could believe in. It reminded her a little of Ben Solo. Although his parents had fought for a cause, which Leia had continued even if Han had fallen back into his old ways, talking to Ben, it seemed that his parents had done little to tell him why their cause was so important. As Ben had said, they’d kind of just assumed that it was important, and left him to figure out on his own why it might be important to him. It was then that Snoke had slipped in, working on Ben’s uncertainties and providing him with a more compelling alternative. Similarly, MC had never really understood the difference between the Empire and the Republic, because no one had taken the time to explain why. It was something that she would have to talk about with Poe, the importance of education and supporting citizens to understand why juntas and factions like the First Order were so dangerous to the future of the galaxy. Even when life for some people under their rule barely changed.  
‘There it is!’ Peering out from behind a ruined factory, Jannah pointed to a warehouse just across the surrounding wasteland. ‘MC should be in there.’  
Finn looked over to Thwisp. ‘All clear?’  
Checking a small device on her wrist, Thwisp nodded. ‘All clear.’  
Keeping low, Finn and Jannah headed across the open ground, keeping an eye out for any trouble. They could see members of their squad positioned at various intervals, keeping an eye on the surrounding streets. They reached the warehouse without incident, stopping underneath a broken window. Signalling to Rose and Thwisp to follow them, Finn gave Jannah a leg up so that she could reach the window sill. Holding on tight, she pulled herself up and climbed in, jumping down into the warehouse on the other side. When Rose and Thwisp reached him, Finn helped them both climb upwards. Then it was his turn; casting his eyes around, he saw a discarded machine that he could use to reach the window. Climbing up, he just had enough height to reach the sill. Groaning, he pulled himself up, his feet scrabbling for purchase on the warehouse wall. It was hard but he did it, slithering across the sill and into the warehouse.  
Inside, Finn found Rose and Jannah talking to MC, surrounded by a variety of machines and computers sat on various sized tables, glowing softly in the half-light. Several operatives, all dressed in dark grey jumpsuits like MC, were keeping an eye on the screens, tapping in long streams of numbers at various intervals.  
Having been hiding out for several weeks, MC was hardly recognisable under a straggly beard and long hair, his face and clothes dishevelled and grimy with dirt. Seeing Finn he raised his hand in greeting, ‘How’s it going?’  
‘Ask me again in a few hours,’ said Finn, scratching his head, ‘is everything ready?’  
‘Yep,’ MC pointed to the central computer screen. ‘We’ve got the broadcasts, thanks to Rose.’ Here, he smiled at Rose in a way that made her go all funny inside. Get a grip!, she told herself crossly.  
‘We should be able to take over their transmissions in a couple of minutes,’ continued MC, turning to Hardy, one of the operatives sat at the computer. A Twi’lek, Hardy had light purple skin with two long lekku trailing down her back, a colourful headband wrapped around the front of her head. ‘How long now?’  
‘Just over two minutes,’ said Hardy, typing some more numbers into her screen. ‘It’s just this last bit that’s tricky.’  
‘Hardy’s come up with a code that should take a while for the First Order to decipher,’ explained MC, seeing that she needed to concentrate. ‘We tested a variant of it a few weeks ago on one of the Star Destroyers and it took them a good five minutes to return back to normal service.’  
‘The code keeps mutating every time,’ said Hardy, watching the countdown carefully, ‘that way we should be able to keep bombarding them with messages without them being able to shut us down for a good few minutes.’  
‘Sounds good.’ Finn watched restlessly as the countdown reached less than a minute.  
‘Ready for transmission,’ said Hardy to the other two operatives, making sure the first one was cued up.  
‘Transmitting to First Order fleet in 3, 2, 1… Go!’

‘This is Poe Dameron of the Resistance!’  
His voice rang out across every Star Destroyer and Dreadnaught in the entire First Order fleet, the signals from Coruscant hacking into the on-board speakers of every ship through a single transmission channel that had been given to them by Ben, but then had taken weeks to hack into and secure for the Resistance. Overriding all attempts by operatives and technicians to block the signal, Poe’s message resounded throughout the corridors and living spaces, in every section of the ship from the toilets to the bridge, wherever there was a speaker.  
‘You’re all being lied to. The First Order stole you from your families when you were babies. You don’t know who you are or where you come from - because the First Order never told you! They have all the information but they kept it from you. To make you think that the First Order is the only choice you have. But it’s not!’  
Across the ships, troops and officers, technicians and engineers, pilots and administrators stopped what they were doing to listen.  
‘You are being exploited,’ Poe’s voice continued. ‘But we can help you. The Resistance has obtained a copy of the First Order’s archives with all the family names and home worlds. We can give you the information they have denied you. All we ask in return is that you lay down your weapons, and stop fighting for the First Order.’

In the warehouse, Hardy frowned at the screen, ‘Dammit, they’ve broken the first code already. Let’s try this instead.’ Typing quickly, she started to enter another long stream of numbers. ‘Next transmission in two minutes.’  
Behind her, Finn was tense, wishing he had eyes and ears across the First Order fleet. ‘How will we know if it’s having an impact?’  
‘By what happens on the ground outside?’ said Jannah, putting her hand on his arm. ‘What we really need is hope.’

Up above Coruscant, Poe was leading the charge against the blockade, his squadron right behind him. So far they had concentrated on creating a distraction as the Statura headed down to the surface, facing the steady waves of star-fighters that had streamed out of the ring of Star Destroyers and single Dreadnaught that surrounded the planet. There had been several close calls but the Resistance fighters were holding their own against the First Order pilots, and Poe found himself wondering what was happening down on the ground.  
He did not have to wonder for long, a steady light started to bleep on his console. ‘Patch it through, BB8!’  
Outside, the droid quickly activated the incoming transmission channel, recognising it as a Resistance one.  
‘Poe, do you read me?’  
‘Finn!’ Poe felt relief flood all over him when he heard his friend’s voice, banking his ship insanely right in order to avoid two incoming fighters, ‘What’s going on, buddy?’  
‘We’ve made it down to the surface,’ replied Finn, ‘we’re with MC. We’ve managed to send out the broadcast twice already.’  
‘Great,’ said Poe, veering too close to one of the Star Destroyers and having to heavily compensate, ‘How long before you think we’ll see some results?’  
‘No idea,’ admitted Finn, ‘but we saw the leaflets starting to have an impact. Already one squadron has turned itself over.’  
‘Excellent!’ Poe flinched as he was raked with laser from a nearby TIE. ‘Look buddy, I’ve gotta love you and leave you, it’s too hot out here!’  
‘We’ll update you as soon as we have more intel,’ agreed Finn, ‘Over and out!’  
The transmission winked off and Poe tuned into what was going on around him. As far as he could tell, the Resistance were holding their own against the TIEs for the moment, but it was going to do some damage eventually. ‘Come on, Finn, you can do it!’

In the Chancellor’s Office on Coruscant’s surface, Hux was listening to an urgent message from General Parnadee up on the Devastator. ‘What do you mean, the Resistance are hacking into our transmissions?’  
‘They’ve found what we thought was a closed emergency channel,’ replied the General, sounding panicked, ‘they’re using it to broadcast messages to the entire fleet.’  
‘What messages?’  
‘Propaganda, Supreme Leader. Informing personnel that they were stolen from their families and only the Resistance can reunite them. Asking them to lay down their weapons and stop fighting for the First Order.’  
Hux frowned, ‘That’s not important to our personnel. They don’t need to know where they came from, or who their families are!’  
‘That’s just it,’ said the General in concern, ‘it is starting to have an impact. Several officers have already come to me, asking if the information is true…’  
‘Then tell them it’s all lies!’ interjected Hux, not seeing what the problem was. ‘If you make it into a big deal, of course it’s going to have an impact.’  
‘Of course, Supreme Leader.’  
‘Do everything you can to block their transmissions,’ went on Hux, ‘find out where they’re broadcasting from. What’s the situation with the fighters?’  
‘We’re holding our own,’ replied the General, on firmer ground, ‘there seems to be no possibility of the Resistance fighters gaining the upper hand, their resources are far inferior to ours.’  
‘See to it that it remains that way.’ Hux turned away from the comlink as he heard the door opening, his aide bringing in, no doubt, some more important news. Already, Hux knew that something critical was happening. There were reports of the blockade on Naboo being attacked by a ragtag fleet of criminals and traitors, led by the Millennium Falcon. Here, on Coruscant, there was the attack on the fleet, and the bizarre dumping of thousands of leaflets on to the city-planet, leaflets that were calling for revolution. The Resistance wanted nothing less than to destroy the First Order from within, something which was, if he was being honest with himself, terrifying to Hux. Military attacks he was used to, and prepared for. Sabotage he was not.  
‘There’s been reports of a small team on the ground,’ said the aide, coming over to Hux’s desk. A young man, Officer Sheng, he was bright-eyed and dutiful, but even he was becoming increasingly curious about the messages being broadcast by the Resistance. ‘They were dropped off in the industrial district, near a bunch of abandoned warehouses.’  
‘Then send one of the AT-M6s along with as many troops as we can spare into that district,’ snarled Hux, wondering if he needed a bolder response to the idiocy of the Resistance. Perhaps it was time to make a broadcast of his own? ‘Where is Karenia?’  
‘She’s liaising with Griss,’ said Sheng, wondering if he could be brave enough to ask Hux about the veracity of the information that the Resistance was peddling. He’d always wondered where he had come from, having the strange feeling that he had not always belonged to the First Order.  
‘When’s she’s finished, tell her to get the studio ready,’ commanded Hux, going over to the window. ‘I think we need to make a counter broadcast.’  
‘May I ask a question, Supreme Leader?’ asked Sheng tremulously.  
‘If you must,’ replied Hux grumpily, knowing it was coming.  
‘Is what the Resistance saying true? Were we all kidnapped from our families?’  
‘Of course not,’ snapped Hux, keeping his eyes on the window. ‘Everyone who works for the First Order was given up voluntarily.’  
‘But I heard that…’  
‘Do you dispute me?’ yelled Hux, finally looking at his aide with real anger. ‘Your Supreme Leader?’  
‘No, no,’ said Sheng, chastened. ‘Of course not.’ He had heard rumours that under their previous leader, Kylo Ren, there had been attempts to change the recruitment system. That instead of taking children from their families, the First Order had opened an academy to train adults, although this academy had quickly been converted on Hux’s ascension into something else. Surely if there were no problems with the recruitment system, it would not need to change?  
‘Good,’ snapped Hux, knowing that he was on shaky ground. He needed to do something more concrete to meet the Resistance attack. ‘Now, go and find Karenia. I need to get that broadcast out as soon as possible.’

‘It’s no good,’ said Hardy, staring at the screen in frustration. ‘They’ve blocked us again. We’re gonna have to move to another location.’  
‘Can we do that?’ asked Rose, who was stood behind Hardy with MC, watching the screen as she tried to mutate the transmission one more time.  
‘Yep,’ said MC, running his hand through his hair, ‘we’ve got a mobile power source so we just need to find somewhere safe to broadcast from.’  
‘What about those abandoned apartments?’ suggested Finn, remembering where they had hidden last time they had been on Coruscant.  
‘Might be too close to the centre,’ said MC thoughtfully, ‘I can’t believe that they won’t increase patrols now that they know what we’re doing.’  
Suddenly Thwisp burst into the warehouse, ‘Stormtroopers approaching!’  
‘Shit!’ Finn looked around helplessly, ‘How did they find us?’  
‘Never mind that,’ said Rose, looking over to MC. ‘What do we need to do to move this?’  
Going over to one of the tables, MC pulled out a trolley, fitted with repulsorlifts. ‘We can load them onto these. Everything fits, we’ve already tested it.’  
Whilst Rose and Hardy started to dismantle the computers, MC and the other operative, a Tusken called Jools, took down the transmitter, making sure that the wires remained in situ. Finn and Jannah ran over to the windows, Finn giving Jannah a leg-up so she could peer outside.  
‘Is it bad?’ he asked her.  
‘It’s bad,’ replied Jannah as he lowered her back down. ‘There must be at least two squadrons out there.’  
‘Is there another way out of here?’ Finn called over to MC, who was packing the transmitter onto the trolley with Jools.  
‘What? Oh yes, we can head out the other side,’ suggested MC, looking at Jools. ‘You know the way to one of the tunnels, don’t you?’  
Jools nodded, answering in his own language which MC appeared to understand.  
‘What tunnels?’ asked Finn, coming over to help Rose lift one of the heavier computers onto the trolley, whilst Hardy dismantled the scanner.  
‘There’s a whole network of streets that run under Coruscant,’ MC explained with a grin. ‘It’s a whole ‘nother city down there. That’s where I found Jools.’  
Jools grinned; he still wore his desert wraps out of habit, his eyes shielded behind googles. He spoke rapidly to MC, who laughed. ‘He’s saying that I saved him but Jools didn’t need saving really. He just needed a purpose. Like we all do.’  
‘Well, our purpose now is to get out of trouble,’ said Rose tetchily, ‘not stand around having a chat.’  
There was a shout from outside. ‘We want to talk to FN-2187.’  
Finn frowned. ‘That’s not my name.’  
‘FN-2187!’ The shout came from outside again. ‘Are you in there?’  
Finn made to go over to the window but Rose grabbed his arm. ‘Don’t!’  
‘It might be a trap,’ said Jannah.  
Reaching out with the Force, Finn closed his eyes, trying to gauge the emotions of whoever was calling him. He felt confusion, anger… but not towards him. Something familiar too. ‘It’s okay,’ he said, to Rose and Jannah, ‘they’re looking for me.’  
Pushing an old metal box over to the window, he climbed up and peered out. Outside, the wasteland was covered in stormtroopers, some of them holding leaflets. But he wondered why they were looking for him specifically. His name was not on them. Making sure he was visible, he called out, ‘Who wants me?’  
‘We do.’ Two of the stormtroopers came forward.  
‘Take off your helmets,’ Finn shouted back. ‘I want to see your faces.’  
Slowly, the two stormtroopers took their helmets off. It was a man and a woman. He recognised them immediately. ‘FN-2086 and FN-2465,’ he said excitedly, seeing that they were from his former training squad. ‘What are you doing here?’  
‘We want to know if this is true?’ said FN-2086, brandishing the leaflet. ‘Did the First Order really take us as children?’  
‘They did,’ said Finn, leaning out of the window. ‘We’ve got the proof. A database with all our names, where we come from.’  
The two stormtroopers looked at each other. ‘What do we need to do?’  
‘Put down your arms. Stop fighting for the First Order.’  
‘Like you did?’  
‘Like I did.’ Pulling himself up onto the sill, Finn climbed out of the window, much to the disconcertion of Rose and Jannah, who ran over to watch. He jumped down, coming to stand a couple of metres away from the troops. ‘We don’t need you to fight for the Resistance, unless you want to,’ he explained, holding out his hands. ‘But we do need you to stop fighting for the First Order.’  
‘You escaped after Jakku,’ said FN-2465. ‘Why?’  
‘Because I knew it was wrong. What I was being asked to do,’ said Finn, taking a step closer. He could feel no ill-will from any of the stormtroopers in front of him. There must have been at least twenty of them, two squads. ‘I couldn’t kill civilians. That’s not who I am.’  
‘But we have killed civilians,’ frowned FN-2086, uncertain. ‘What does that make us?’  
‘You’re all lost children,’ said Finn carefully, ‘all of you. Whatever you’ve done. You were brainwashed by the First Order in to thinking that’s where you belonged. That killing for them was the right thing to do. But it’s not. That’s not who you are.’  
There was silence as the troops processed what Finn was saying.  
‘There’s still a chance for us?’ asked FN-2465, her confusion still visible on her face. ‘We can come back from this?’  
Finn nodded, ‘You made a choice to come here now. That’s the start of finding out who you really are.’

In the warehouse, MC was getting tetchy. ‘We’ve got to get moving,’ he called over to Rose and Jannah, ‘otherwise all this work on the coding is gonna be for nothing.’  
‘Okay,’ Jannah called back, ‘Finn’s coming back now.’  
Finn’s face appeared at the window. ‘They’re coming with us.’  
‘What? All of them?’ Rose was astounded.  
‘Yes,’ grinned Finn, ‘come on.’  
Activating the trolley, MC, Jools and Hardy headed towards the doors of the warehouse, which were locked shut. A couple of strikes on the locks and they opened up. He looked over to Rose, ‘Saves you going out the window!’  
‘Thanks.’ Relieved, Rose and Jannah ran over to the doors, following MC out of the warehouse. It was disconcerting to see the number of stormtroopers outside but as they removed their helmets, it was becoming increasingly obvious the diversity of the children that had been forced into serving the First Order. There were humans of all colours, from the palest to the darkest colour skin, humans with blonde hair, red hair, brown hair and all the shades in-between. There were even a couple of humans of mixed species, their skin slightly tinged with blue and red.  
With the Resistance squad rounded up, Finn led the way through the abandoned buildings, keeping an eye on the data-pad for the rendezvous point with Kandor. As they moved from vantage point to vantage point, Jannah contacted Kandor on the comlink, making sure that he was ready in place. The plan was to gather as many troopers together as possible that were willing to fight for the Resistance, ultimately growing an army that could take on the military might located in Monument Plaza. Already Finn was talking to some of his former squadron, finding out that some of them were angry enough about the lies that the First Order had perpetuated to want to fight with them.  
They were a couple of blocks away when Thwisp, who was checking up on the outlook ahead, suddenly crouched down, signalling for everyone else to get down. Finn and the others took shelter behind a junk pile, waiting for Thwisp to creep back over towards them, leaving another of the squad up ahead on lookout.  
‘There’s another patrol up ahead,’ said Thwisp in a whisper to Finn and Jannah. ‘I can’t see any leaflets.’  
Jannah looked at the map on the data-pad, ‘There’s no other way around.’  
‘We’re gonna have to go through them,’ said Finn. He looked back at the squadron behind him, ‘Perhaps there’s enough of us to make them think before they shoot.’  
‘It’s worth a try,’ agreed Jannah, ‘let’s you and me go first.’ She turned to Rose, ‘You and MC wait here until it’s clear. There’s no use you four getting involved in a firefight if it turns into one.’  
Rose readily agreed but MC was less convinced, ‘The more time we spent waiting here, the less time we have to get this broadcast out.’  
‘And the more time the First Order can reconfigure their channel to prevent us hacking into it again,’ Hardy pointed out.  
‘Right,’ said Jannah, having to make a quick decision. ‘Stay with us then, but just be ready to fight back.’  
‘We will,’ said MC, indicating the blaster in his belt. ‘But only as a last resort.’  
Rose looked at him in admiration, ‘You really have taken everything on board.’  
‘Of course I have,’ he said softly, looking at her intently. ‘You and your friends are very persuasive.’  
Up ahead, Finn was inching towards the corner of the nearest building, closely followed by Jannah and Thwisp. The older woman had informed him that there was a squad patrolling the area, all armed with riot shields and a range of weapons including FWMB-10 repeating blasters and F-11D blaster rifles. It was to be expected, usual First Order practice.  
‘Shall we try and reach out to them?’ asked Jannah. The squad were searching all the buildings on the street, breaking open doors and shooting into broken windows. Clearly looking for deserters.  
‘Let’s try,’ said Finn, turning back to Thwisp to give her a heads-up on their plan. ‘Be prepared though,’ he said, ‘just in case it doesn’t work.’  
When Thwisp nodded, Finn looked at Jannah. ‘Let’s do it!’  
Leaving the shelter of the building, Finn and Jannah stepped into the street. ‘Hey!’ Finn shouted to the troops, ‘Are you looking for us?’  
Two of the troops turned around, putting their blasters into fight mode immediately. ‘Stop right there!’  
Holding up his hands, Finn shouted, ‘You don’t have to do this. There is another way!’  
‘Don’t speak, traitor,’ shouted back one of the troops. ‘We know who you are!’  
‘Why am I a traitor?’ said Finn, feeling bold. ‘You don’t owe the First Order anything. They took you from your homes, from your families. You’ve been brainwashed.’  
One of the troops lowered his blaster, ‘Is that true?’  
‘Don’t listen to him,’ hissed the other trooper, keeping his blaster raised up. ‘It’s just Resistance propaganda.’  
‘It’s not propaganda,’ said Jannah, ‘We’ve seen the database. With all our names and home worlds on it. We know who we are. And we can help you find out who you are.’  
One of the troops was beginning to waver, his blaster sinking lower and lower. Other troops were coming up behind the original two, interested to find out what was happening. Why there was a stand-off in the middle of the abandoned buildings.  
But the squad leader was not convinced. ‘It’s propaganda,’ he repeated stubbornly. ‘Supreme Leader Hux said it was all lies.’  
‘Hux doesn’t care about you,’ said Finn, ‘he only cares about himself.’  
‘He cares about the First Order,’ said the squad leader, re-focusing his blaster. ‘He cares about making this galaxy a better place. Which is more than can be said for the stinking Resistance!’ Without warning, he fired on Finn and Jannah, but they were prepared for it and leapt back, the blaster bolts slamming into the ground, sending gravel and soil up into the air.  
‘Quick!’ Finn indicated a nearby doorway where they could take shelter. Things were disintegrating, half of the squad on the attack, the rest confused by Finn and Jannah’s words, wanting to believe in them. The squad leader shouted at them to get into line, which was enough to distract him. Aiming his blaster, Finn shot the trooper in the leg, sending him crashing to the ground.  
‘Let’s go!’ he shouted to Jannah, taking advantage of the confusion. To the rest of the squad he yelled, ‘Anyone who wants to come with us, come now!’   
It was the signal for MC and Rose to follow, as well as the rest of the Resistance team, and they raced out from behind the warehouse, emerging into a strange situation. Half of the First Order troops were running away with Finn and Jannah, the rest taking feeble potshots at their retreating comrades. The squad leader lay in the road, screaming out curses at anyone who would listen. Seeing MC, he lifted his blaster and shot at him, the laser slamming into his arm, causing him to cry out loud. But he gritted his teeth and followed after Rose, using the trolley as a shield to get past the remnants of the squad, although they were only half-heartedly attacking now, Finn’s words finally sinking in.  
A less conflicted member of the Resistance squad shot the lead trooper dead, whilst the rest of the team surrounded the remains of his squad. ‘Put your weapons down!’  
The squad quickly complied, throwing down their weapons. ‘We surrender.’  
‘Come with us,’ snapped Thwisp, ‘you can take off your helmets and leave them here.’  
The troops readily complied, revealing five terrified faces. They were all young recruits, all of them under twenty-five.  
Two blocks later and Finn’s team finally reached the warehouse where Kandor was waiting to meet them. Already they could see that the ranks of the deserters had swollen. There were now almost eighty former storm-troopers, all crammed into the warehouse. All talking together, sharing stories and experiences.   
Kandor came to meet Finn and Jannah. ‘Thank the Force you made it,’ he said, embracing Jannah tightly. ‘Look at what you’ve achieved!’  
‘I can’t believe it,’ said Jannah, looking around, a smile on her face. ‘And this is just the beginning.’  
‘Some are proving more difficult to convince,’ said Finn, looking over to where MC was being looked after by Rose, who was doing her best to patch up his arm with an emergency medical kit. ‘But they seem to be the exception.’  
Meanwhile, Hardy and Jools were setting up the computer and transmitter, ready to try and broadcast Poe’s message again to the First Order fleet.  
‘What’s that?’ Kandor asked Finn, looking at the setup with interest.  
‘These guys have been hacking into a First Order channel,’ explained Finn, ‘to broadcast a message to the fleet wherever it is in the galaxy.’  
‘We need to get it going again,’ said Hardy, wiring in the last of the power supply, ‘we need to keep the momentum.’  
‘Can I help?’ asked Finn. With MC and Rose otherwise engaged, Hardy and Jools were struggling a bit to get the computers online. But with Finn helping, they were soon tapping away, trying to find the right channel.  
Sat on the floor, Rose had finished bandaging MC’s arm. ‘How are you feeling?’  
‘Okay,’ he said with a weak smile. ‘It’s my first combat wound.’  
‘You’ll get used to it,’ Rose smiled, starting to pack the medical kit away.  
‘So you think I’ll be hanging around then, eh?’  
Rose felt her cheeks grow hot, ‘Well I… assumed that… you kind of would be. Considering that you’re here now.’ She knew that she wasn’t making much sense, his proximity was making her feel odd. Her stomach felt all tingly, a little like anxiety.  
‘You’re very pretty,’ he said softly, reaching out to touch her cheek, ‘when you’re flustered…’  
‘Are you two finished?’ It was Finn, who had come to fetch MC. ‘Hardy’s struggling a bit to find the channel, we need your skills.’  
‘Right.’ Reluctantly, MC got to his feet and went over to where Hardy was staring at the computer screen, looking for the right combination of numbers.  
Finn smiled at Rose, ‘You two, er, getting cosy?’  
Rose only smiled, ‘What’s our next move, General?’  
They went over to where Jannah and Kandor were looking at the map of Coruscant, planning the strategy that would enable them, hopefully, to take control of the central district.  
‘We need to get some of those AT-M6s on our side,’ said Kandor, scratching a cut on his cheek. ‘The only problem is, I don’t know how. They won’t have access to leaflets, and I don’t think they’ll be included in the broadcasts.’  
‘Perhaps force of numbers will convince them that something’s up?’ suggested Jannah, looking around her. ‘If we all arrive in the plaza, together, that’s got to be pretty powerful.’  
‘We should be able to patch into their onboard communication systems,’ said Finn, ‘MC said he had something that might do it.’  
‘Then we need to take him with us,’ replied Jannah.  
‘Rose won’t object to that,’ laughed Finn, much to her chagrin.  
‘What’s going on?’ said Jannah, a smile creeping over her face. ‘Have you got the hots for…?’  
‘Okay, okay,’ said Rose, throwing up her hands. ‘Now is not the time for this.’ Then she added, ‘But yes, he is cute.’  
Jannah smiled, glad that she had guessed right. ‘I’ll let you break the news to him.’  
Whilst Finn and Jannah spoke to the troops, Rose went over to where MC was talking quietly with Hardy and Jools, both of them still typing furiously away. ‘Have you got in yet?’  
‘Yep,’ said MC, ‘Hardy’s just getting the broadcast out now.’  
‘Good.’  
When Rose went quiet, staring at the screen, MC looked expectantly at her. ‘Was there a reason for…?’  
‘Oh yeah. There was.’ Rose took a deep breath, ‘We need you to come with us. To Monument Plaza.’  
‘You do?’  
‘Yes. Finn says you can help us break into the communications of the AT-M6 crews?’  
‘Oh. I did mention it.’ He smiled nervously, ‘I guess this means I’ll be going back into the thick of things.’  
‘It does,’ said Rose, ‘but we’ll be with you. All the way.’  
‘I’d like that,’ he said, trying to look hopeful. It had not been his intention to get so involved with the Resistance, but he couldn’t help wanting to make Rose feel proud of him. It had made him feel so good inside when she had thanked him for helping them before; she was the first person in a long time, apart from Maz, that had believed in him. Although he had often used women in the past, there was something about Rose that was fresh and exciting to his jaded soul, making him think that with her help, he could be a good person. And he was starting to see that his attraction to her wasn’t quite as one-sided as he had first thought.  
Whilst Rose was filling MC in with the plan, Finn and Jannah had called together all the deserters, old and new. Leaping up on top of some old machinery, Finn looked down at the crowd before him. Their strategy had been a long time in gestation, and he felt a flush of excitement as he looked down at the positive impact it was already having. ‘The First Order relied on our ignorance and our obedience to dominate the galaxy,’ he said, raising his voice so that everyone in the warehouse could hear. ‘They used us against our own families, families we did not know existed because they kept our origins hidden from us. They didn’t give us a choice. But now we are asking you to make a choice.’  
‘Our plan is to get to Monument Plaza,’ said Jannah, who was standing next to Finn. ‘We need to show the First Order that we are a force to be reckoned with. Our goal, no less, is to try and get to Supreme Leader Hux himself.’ There was a collective gasp and Jannah knew it was going to be a hard sell. ‘Only Hux can end this war. The First Order hierarchy means that only he has the power to tell the fleet and the army to surrender. But if we can force him to stand down, we will be in a better position to negotiate with the rest of the High Command.’  
Excited chatter filled the warehouse. Finn put his hands up, calling for quiet. ‘The choice we want to make is this. Will you come with us? Will you join us, the Resistance, in this endeavour? We won’t lie to you. It’s not gonna be easy. It will be dangerous.’  
‘And we won’t hold it against you if you don’t want to come with us,’ said Jannah quickly, seeing some confusion amongst the crowd. ‘As we said to you, all we want stormtroopers to do is to lay down their weapons. To stop fighting the First Order. We’re grateful enough to you for making that choice. Helping us further is purely an individual choice.’  
‘So we’re asking you to make a quick decision. Those who want to stay out of the fight, can remain here with Kandor,’ said Finn, who had insisted that a small force of knowingly loyal deserters should remain with the new ones in case they changed their minds. ‘Those who want to help us, we’ll be moving out in the next few minutes.’   
The warehouse was filled with hubbub and noise as the ex-stormtroopers talked amongst themselves, deciding their position. Finn and Jannah got themselves ready in the meantime, making sure that Rose and MC were happy with the plan from then on. Hardy and Jools would stay behind to keep bombarding the First Order fleet with Resistance messages for as long as possible. The only sticking point was that as MC warned Kandor, the transmissions might be traced to the warehouse eventually, but Hardy and Jools would do their best to keep mutating the codes. ‘You might need to move location,’ he explained, ‘Hardy and Jools know how to pack up the computers.’  
‘There’s plenty of abandoned warehouses around here,’ explained Kandor, ‘we’ll make sure to keep moving.’ He knew that all it needed was a visit from a squad of TIEs and their safety would be compromised.  
‘Good luck,’ said Jannah, embracing her friend one last time. ‘Keep in contact, let us know if you need help.’  
‘Don’t worry about us. You concentrate on getting to Hux,’ Kandor said, kissing her cheek.  
‘Let’s go,’ said Finn, making sure he had his blaster and lightsaber ready.  
‘Wow.’ Jannah was impressed by the number of deserters that had decided to join them, nearly the whole group. About twenty remained behind with Kandor, Jools and Hardy, for protection more than anything else.   
‘It’s more than I expected,’ agreed Finn, as they moved amongst the group, making sure that everyone was armed with blasters. He felt a great deal of anticipation, but also excitement. ‘You know, I think we can do this.’  
‘Don’t jinx it,’ cautioned Jannah, making sure her data-pad was safe in her coat, for it contained the all-important map of the city-planet. Feeling overwhelmed, she reached up and kissed Finn softly on the cheek. ‘Let’s hope our luck holds out for a bit longer.’  
‘It’s not luck,’ Finn murmured, affected by all the emotions he could feel swirling around him. ‘We have the Force on our side.’  
As Jannah nodded, Rose and MC came over, clutching their blasters. ‘Ready to go?’ asked Rose, smiling bravely.  
‘Ready to go,’ agreed Finn, caressing her arm tenderly. ‘Let’s move out.’

Up above Coruscant, Poe’s X-Wing was leading an assault on one of the Star Destroyers, trying to disable the guns peppering his fleet with constant blasts of laser. It was hard work but already two of the guns had been disabled, and he was headed for another one, trying to avoid the TIEs screeching towards him from all around. His cockpit was filled with nervous chatter as his squadron faced the reams of TIE fighters sent out against them.  
‘Poe, there’s too many of them!’  
‘Hold it together,’ said Poe, trying to concentrate on reaching the gun turrets he could see in his sights, ‘BB8 can you lock onto that turret yet?’  
BB8 screamed in the negative, trying his best to keep the ship together, as well as keep an eye on the surrounding battle.  
‘Okay, well I’m coming around for another pass.’ Blasting another TIE into stardust, Poe manoeuvred his supple fighter closer to the guns, pressing the joystick and watching with relief the resulting explosion. ‘One more down,’ he muttered to himself. Into his comlink he shouted, ‘Concentrate all firepower on the Star Destroyers! We need to bring them down.’  
As he swooped around for another pass, he could see a new light flashing on his console. Someone who was not with the Resistance was trying to contact him. Ever cautious, he opened up the channel. ‘This is Poe Dameron of the Resistance,’ he said, taking his fighter into a sweeping pass that took him alongside the Star Destroyer’s starboard hull. ‘How can I help you?’  
‘This is Lieutenant Andor,’ said the new voice, clearly nervous. ‘Of the Conflictor.’  
‘Nice to hear from you,’ said Poe cheerfully, hoping it was good news.  
‘Is it true that the First Order stole us from our families? I’m asking for a friend.’  
Despite himself, Poe sniggered. ‘It’s true. All of it. We’ve got the proof that the First Order tried to hide it from you. Names of all personnel and where you come from. Who your families are. Who took you from them.’  
‘And you’re prepared to share this with us?’  
‘We are,’ said Poe, tackling a particularly difficult manoeuvre that helped him to avoid two persistent TIE fighters that were locked onto his tail. ‘All we ask in return is that you stop fighting for the First Order.’ The line went silent for a minute and Poe felt tense, wondering what their answer would be. ‘Hello?’  
‘We’re still here,’ said the voice, sounding more confident. ‘I just had to check with my colleagues. We’ve decided to stand down. We want to find out who we are and where we come from.’  
‘Right answer,’ said Poe, risking a smile. ‘We need you to indicate to us who you are so we know that you’re standing down.’  
‘It’s the ship that you’re pummelling right now,’ said Andor crisply, ‘fly past the command deck and we’ll wave to you.’  
‘Easier said than done,’ muttered Poe, forcing his ship into a tight manoeuvre so that he could reach the command deck. As he flew past the large windows, he could see two First Order officers standing at the central pane, waving to him. He waved back, feeling absurd but hoping that this would be the first of many ships to stand down. ‘BB8, is there any way we can mark this ship as neutral?’  
BB8 bleeped in the negative.  
‘Dammit.’ Poe spoke into the comlink, ‘Andor, you’re gonna have to move out of the blockade so we know you’ve chosen to stand down. But first we’re gonna have to disable all your guns so you can’t change your mind and destroy our fleet.’  
‘Understood,’ said Andor, ‘do what you need to.’  
‘Black Squadron,’ said Poe into the comlink, ‘The crew of the Conflictor has stood down. To ensure that they stay neutral we need to blast their guns into the stardust! Who’s with me?’  
‘I’m with you, Poe!’  
‘Me too.’  
The three of them made light work of the remaining guns, Andor having called off the TIEs connected with their ship. Once complete, the ship started to move slowly and ponderously away from the blockade, heading towards the small group of larger Resistance ships that were attacking the larger First Order fleet from a safe distance.  
‘I have your word that your fleet won’t attack us?’ came Andor’s voice over the channel again.  
‘Yes,’ said Poe, ‘we’ll keep the rest of your fleet busy so they won’t try and attack you for desertion.’  
‘I’ve blocked their transmissions,’ said Andor, ‘General Parnadee and Engell are in charge here. They’re on the High Command. It won’t be as easy to convince them to stand down as they weren’t taken from their families, they’re loyal to the First Order and to the Empire before it.’  
‘Then we’ll have to hope that their crews desert in large enough numbers to force their hand,’ said Poe, chasing after two TIE fighters that were menacing the larger ship. ‘Can I ask? Did you change your minds because of the broadcasts?’  
‘Yes,’ said Andor. ‘Everyone has lots of questions. We want answers.’  
‘I promise you we’ll get you those answers just as soon as we’ve taken Coruscant,’ said Poe, banking his ship sharply right.  
‘Good luck with that,’ said Andor, a hint of humour in his voice. ‘Hux won’t give up easily.’  
‘Yeah,’ despite his optimism, Poe frowned as he watched the Star Destroyer peel away from the rest of the fleet and begin its slow journey away from the blockade. He hadn’t heard anything from Finn for a while and he was almost too afraid to find out what was going on, down on the city-planet. Everything hinged on capturing the Supreme Leader.

In the lead Dreadnaught, the Oppressor, General Parnadee was staring at one of the consoles in disbelief. The aide was trying to explain to her what was happening, but she couldn’t quite believe her ears. Neither could she un-hear the continual backdrop of Resistance leader Poe Dameron’s voice as he exhorted her crew members to desert. Despite several attempts, they could not seem to block the transmission or stop the channel from broadcasting across the entire ship. Crew members were asking lots of questions that she did not want to give them the answers to. Out of her comfort zone, Parnadee was starting to lose the plot.  
‘Did you hear that, General?’ Confused, the aide was starting to lose his patience with her.  
‘Yes. You’re telling me that the Conflictor has left the blockade. What’s their reasoning?’  
‘That’s just it,’ said the aide, ‘we’ve tried getting in contact but they’ve blocked our communications.’  
‘Keep trying,’ said Parnadee. ‘It’s been crawling with Resistance ships, they’ve probably lost all firepower and are retreating to a safe place.’ First Order protocol was adamant that any ship trying to leave its post without permission of the commanding officer should be destroyed without question. But Parnadee was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, loathe to destroy any ships that were under her command.  
‘General!’ called another aide, ‘General Engell is trying to get in contact.’  
‘Patch her in.’ Parnadee hurried over to the other console, wondering how she was going to even hear the General over the noise of the Resistance propaganda.  
‘General Parnadee,’ came the General’s voice over the speaker, ‘What the hell is going on?’  
‘It’s part of a concerted attack by the Resistance,’ replied Parnadee, ‘they’re trying to disable our ships, no doubt as part of an attempt to capture the system.’  
‘What’s up with the Conflictor?’  
‘I don’t know yet,’ admitted Parnadee, chewing her lip nervously. ‘We’re trying to get in contact to make sure it’s damage, not desertion.’  
‘If only we could get rid of this bloody broadcast,’ went on Engell, her frustration obvious. ‘I’ve tried to get in touch with Hux about it but he’s ignoring me.’  
‘I’m sure the Supreme Leader has plenty to deal with right now,’ said Parnadee, ‘there’s reports coming in of a similar attack on Naboo.’  
‘What do we do?’ Like Parnadee, Engell felt out of her depth, uncertain how to deal with the simultaneous attacks.  
‘We hold on,’ said Parnadee, seeing with satisfaction that another Resistance fighter had been decimated by a TIE. ‘We hold on.’


	47. Insurrection on Naboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a similar strategy to Coruscant, Ithano's fleet distracts the First Order blockade around Naboo whilst Lando drops Prue, and the Queen, onto the ground. There they catch up with Cammie and the rest of the community, which means a tender reunion for Cammie and Prue. Using the tunnels, Prue and Cammie decide to split their forces into two - one group will try and take the palace, with the Queen, and the other force will try and take the plaza outside it. When they are spotted by enemy patrols, Prue has some success encouraging some more stormtroopers to join them.
> 
> On Coruscant, Hux realises that the Resistance have a much better plan than he expected, and decides on a new strategy of annihilation.

‘We’re coming into position.’  
Moving his shoulders back, Lando looked down at the console. It was two minutes until they would be coming out of hyperspace, two minutes until he would be dropping Prue, the Queen, and her loyal guards on the surface of Naboo. Two minutes until Sidon and his fleet would be providing the distraction that they sorely needed to get the Falcon down on the surface without inviting too much attention.  
‘Let’s be sure to give Admiral Griss a nice cheery wave as we fly past,’ said Prue, trying to assuage her anxiety with humour.  
It made Lando smile, ‘From what I hear, he’s the only one in the High Command with a sense of honour. He might even wave back!’  
Chewbacca growled, informing Prue it was less than one minute to action time.  
‘Stand by,’ said Lando, turning round to give her a wink, ‘we’ll get you down to the surface as fast as we can.’  
‘Thank you, Lando,’ said Prue, feeling emotional. It might be the last time that she saw him. ‘For everything.’  
‘That’s quite alright.’  
‘I hope Jannah knows that she has an amazing father.’  
‘Oh she does,’ he nodded, his eyes twinkling, ‘we’ll get through this. See you on the other side.’  
‘Goodbye.’ Impetuously, Prue leaned forward and kissed Lando quickly on his cheek, then did the same to Chewbacca, or what she thought was his cheek anyway. He mewed softly and mussed her hair with a hairy paw. Then she was gone, heading for the corridor where the Queen and her guards were waiting.  
‘She’s a good girl,’ nodded Lando in response to Chewbacca’s musings. ‘They all are.’ He sighed deeply, ‘I only hope…’  
Chewbacca growled, beginning the sequence that would take them out of lightspeed.  
‘I know,’ he replied, cutting to sublight engines. ‘I shouldn’t say it.’  
The streaks of light slowed down outside the cockpit and the Falcon reluctantly heaved itself back into normal space. Naboo appeared, its green surface faintly luminous in the light of its star. Surrounding it was the ring of war machines, Star Destroyers and at its centre, the Dreadnaught command ship. At first Lando thought they were alone then suddenly, other ships appeared behind him; Sidon and the unaffiliated, a mixture of corvettes, cruisers, freighters, star fighters and shuttles. All of them modified and bastardised to suit the characters of their occupants, from pirates to smugglers, spice runners to black market traders.  
‘Fancy meeting you here!’ Sidon’s voice came over the console, unfailingly cheerful.  
‘I know. We must be crazy,’ said Lando, wiping his brow. Despite his long experience in fighting the Empire, and the First Order, even he was beginning to feel nervous at the thought of navigating the blockade.  
‘You need a distraction,’ continued the pirate as his ship streaked past Lando, heading towards the Star Destroyers, ‘and that’s what we’re gonna do!’  
‘Right, keep it slow and steady,’ cautioned Lando, watching in awe as the other ships flew past, seeing that there were far more of them than he had anticipated. Clearly that had been more recruits during the past few days. ‘No unnecessary heroics.’  
‘Oh you know me,’ teased Sidon, who was already blasting away at a squad of TIEs that had appeared from inside the bowels of the Dreadnaught, ‘I’m no Han Solo.’  
‘No?’ Lando smiled, missing his old buddy. ‘Well this is for him!’  
As the scene in front of him degenerated into a series of dogfights, Lando turned to Chewie. ‘I suppose it’s as good as time as any to get down to the surface?’  
Chewbacca concurred, already the unaffiliated were spread out across the blockade, providing a useful distraction. Their ships were too small to be caught by the ginormous guns of the Dreadnaught, and were supple enough to avoid the Star Destroyers, which had followed standard First Order procedure by sending out their TIE fighters.  
‘Then let’s do it.’ As Chewie headed the freighter towards the blockade, Lando pushed a button on the console, ‘Prue! We’re starting the descent.’  
‘Thanks Lando.’ Prue sounded nervous but Lando wasn’t surprised. They all were.

On board the Brutalism, Admiral Griss and Commander Trach watched the action going on outside with growing disbelief, wondering where the fairly substantial fleet had appeared from. Already there were reports of a fleet attacking the blockade around Coruscant, but according to their intelligence, the Resistance should not have enough ships to furnish two fleets. However, a nearby aide confirmed that these ships were not Resistance.  
‘They’re civilian, sir.’  
‘Civilian?’ Griss was even more confused, ‘Why would civilians be fighting for the Resistance?’  
‘I don’t know, sir,’ the aide admitted, scurrying back to his post.  
‘They don’t look like civilians to me,’ commented Trach, as one of the ships flew past, pursuing two TIEs. ‘That’s a pirate ship.’  
‘How can you tell?’ asked Griss, genuinely curious.  
‘It’s because of the markings,’ said Trach, ‘pirates and uh criminals like to mark their ships to make them more visible to the civilians that they’re attacking.’  
‘Hmm, I’d never thought about that,’ said Griss, wondering how much of a threat this mysterious fleet would turn out to be. ‘It seems Kylo Ren was correct,’ he mused, almost to himself. ‘The crackdown on crime has driven those criminals into the hands of the Resistance.’  
Trach was just about to speak when the voice of Poe Dameron started to reverberate around the bridge.  
‘This is Poe Dameron of the Resistance! You’re all being lied to. The First Order stole you from your families when you were babies…’  
‘What the hell is that?’ said Griss, wondering if he was going mad. ‘How did the Resistance hack into our transmissions?’  
‘….You don’t know who you are or where you come from - because the First Order never told you!  
‘Trying to contain it, sir,’ said a young officer, sat at a nearby console. ‘But it’s not being transmitted from anywhere near here. They’ve mutated the code so we can’t trace it easily.’  
‘…They have all the information but they kept it from you. To make you think that the First Order is the only choice you have. But it’s not!’  
‘Keep trying,’ said Griss, trying to block out the distraction. ‘Or at least turn the sound down so we can’t hear the bloody thing!’  
‘I can’t, sir,’ complained the aide, trying her best but failing miserably to understand what was happening. ‘The hackers have done something to stop us from tampering with the signal!’  
Griss came over, peering at the screen and trying to pretend that he had the foggiest idea about how to fix it. All he could see was a stream of meaningless numbers, blocking the usual transmission. ‘Contact Hux,’ he said eventually, feeling all at sea. ‘He needs to know about this.’  
‘Right away, sir.’ Another officer at a nearby console started the sequence that would contact Hux in his secure office on Coruscant. But he couldn’t help asking another question first. ‘Admiral?’  
‘Yes?’  
‘Is it true?’  
‘Is what true?’  
‘What the Resistance are saying? That we were taken from our families?’ The officer looked nervous, not sure whether he wanted to know the truth or not.  
Several expectant eyes looked at Griss. Immediately he felt uncomfortable. ‘Get Hux. I’ll answer questions later.’  
As Griss strode back over to the window, the officers looked at each other. ‘He’s hiding something,’ said one, ‘otherwise why would he not say it was a lie?’  
‘Griss can’t lie,’ said the female officer who was still trying to disrupt the transmission, although she was putting less effort into it now, keen to listen to it again. ‘There must be something in it. But let’s wait to hear what he has to say.’

‘Prue? We’re nearing the surface now. Stand by for the doors to open.’  
‘Roger that.’ Prue stood in the corridor of the Falcon, waiting for the all clear from Lando. Next to her stood the Queen, her face a picture of anxiety and fear, no longer hidden behind her mask of regal dignity. Her hair was unwashed and bedraggled, pulled back from her young face in a messy ponytail. Behind her the two guards waited, their expressions calm but the tension was in their posture, their blasters at the ready.  
‘We must be through the blockade,’ said Prue conversationally. It had taken her longer than she had thought for Lando and Chewie to get down to the planet, and it was obvious that the ship had taken fire from all sides judging by how it had been buffeted. But they were nearly there.  
The Falcon slowed down, slower and slower until it came to a stop, just hovering.  
‘Take care, Prue,’ said Lando’s warm voice, ‘we’re opening the doors now.’  
With a whine, the servos kicked in and the doors started to open. Outside, the ramp was lowering about a metre above the ground, the hydraulic gears sliding into place. Blaster at the ready, Prue lead the way onto the ramp, looking around for any indication that they had been spotted. ‘It’s all clear,’ she said, jumping off the edge of the ramp and running over to a nearby building, desperate for cover. Behind her, she could hear the Queen jumping down, followed by the two guards. It was not long before they had joined her.  
Turning to watch, Prue saw the Falcon’s ramp rising up again, the ship executing a graceful turn and heading back towards the city. It was not long before she started to see white pieces of paper falling from the sky, floating down gently to the city below. ‘Good old, Lando,’ she whispered, pleased that she had been given an opportunity to serve with the General.  
Peering into the next street, Prue could see the entrance to the tunnel up ahead, disguised as a drain cover in the middle of the street. Further ahead, a patrol of stormtroopers marched past, heading the same way as the Falcon. Clearly their descent had been spotted but, fortunately, there were as yet no patrols being sent their way. ‘Your Majesty,’ she said, turning back to the Queen, ‘we’re not far from the tunnel entrance. It’s a few metres ahead, in the next street.’  
‘Will we be safe?’ The Queen was terrified, her hands shaking as she held her blaster.  
Prue’s heart went out to her. ‘I can’t guarantee it, but there’s no patrols at present. So we’re gonna have to move fast. Are you ready?’  
The Queen nodded bravely. ‘As ready as I’ll ever be.’  
‘My comrades are in the tunnels,’ said Prue, trying to reassure her. ‘There will be many more of us just as soon as we meet up with them.’  
The Queen appreciated her support and looked to her two guards, ‘Ready?’  
‘We are ready, your Majesty.’  
Prue suggested that she went first. ‘I’ll get the entrance open. Don’t come over until I give the all clear. I’ll signal like this.’ She held her thumb upwards, folding the rest of her fingers into her palm. ‘Okay?’  
‘Okay,’ the Queen nodded.  
‘Hey you!’ came a shout from behind them. ‘Put your hands up!’  
Alarmed, Prue looked past the Queen to see two stormtroopers running towards them, their blasters at the ready. ‘Change of plan!’ she said to the Queen, ‘you get to the tunnel, I’ll hold these off!’ Jumping in front of the Queen, she aimed her blaster at the two troopers, shooting the ground just in front of them. They leapt back, not expecting retaliation. ‘Go!’  
The Queen disappeared around the corner with her two guards, Prue continuing to blast the ground around the troops, not wanting to kill them but not wanting them to follow her either. Already one of the troops was onto their comlink, requesting back-up, until Prue, aiming carefully, shot the comlink out of their hand.  
‘Hey!’  
With one last round of laser, Prue ran around the corner, only to see the last of the guards climbing down into the tunnels below the street. Knowing the troopers would be right behind her she ran as fast as she could, skidding to a stop just beside the hole in the road. Jumping down, she hurriedly replaced the lid in the nick of time, the metal clanging as it slotted into place. Breathing heavily, she stayed at the top of the ladder, her blaster at the ready just in case the troops had seen where they had gone. Footsteps could be heard running outside but they went straight over the metal cover, disappearing into the distance.  
‘I think we got away,’ said Prue as she climbed down to find the Queen waiting at the bottom of the ladder. ‘Let’s find Cammie.’ Pulling out her comlink, Prue switched it on. ‘Cammie, are you there?’  
‘I’m here, Prue!’ The relief in Cammie’s voice was evident. ‘You’re back on Naboo?’  
‘I am, I mean, I should say we are. If it safe to talk?’  
‘It is. We’re not being monitored.’  
‘I’ve got the Queen with me,’ explained Prue, ‘she’s come to help us inspire the people. To rise up against the First Order.’  
‘Excellent,’ said Cammie. ‘You better come and find us, then we can fill you in on everything that’s been happening. Ready for the co-ordinates?’  
‘Ready.’ The co-ordinates transmitted, Prue saw that these were leading them further towards the centre of Theed. ‘This way, your Majesty.’  
‘Please, call me Melidana,’ said the Queen warmly. ‘Are we heading towards the palace?’  
‘In theory, yes,’ said Prue, ‘but we’ve got to be careful. We don’t know what we’ll find there. Cammie might have a better idea about what’s been going on in our absence.’  
They walked for ages through the tunnels, following the twists and turns of the carefully built thoroughfares. There was evidence of recent action everywhere; footprints in the dust, stockpiles of barrels and boxes at random intervals. Someone had been making preparations for a long siege.  
As they hurried past, the Queen looked at the use of the tunnels with interest. ‘The people?’  
Prue nodded, ‘I should think so. Cammie’s been trying to get the word out that the Resistance are coming. Hopefully they’ll join us when they know the plan is underway.’  
Another couple of tunnels and they heard voices up ahead. Cautiously, Prue signalled for the Queen to remain where she was, and she crept over to where there was a junction in the tunnel, heading left, right, and straight ahead. The voices were coming from the left. Prue knew that the point of the co-ordinates given to them by Cammie was very close now but she didn’t want to take any chances, not whilst she had the Queen with her. Peering around the corner, her blaster at the ready, Prue was greeted with a familiar face.  
‘Prue!’  
‘Cammie!’ She did not even have time to stuff her blaster back into her belt before she was enveloped in a tight embrace, throwing her arms around her partner tightly. ‘Oh Cammie!’  
‘I hoped that safety’s on?’ joked Cammie, burying her face against Prue’s warm neck.  
‘Oh, yeah. ‘Prue immediately put her blaster away in her belt. ‘I’m so glad to see you.’  
They kissed each other warmly. ‘Where’s the Queen?’ asked Cammie, seeing that Prue was alone.  
‘Back there, in the tunnel,’ explained Prue, ‘I’ll go and tell her that we’ve made it to the rendezvous point.’  
Whilst Prue went to fetch the Queen and her guards, Cammie turned back to her comrade, Deesel, ‘Now Prue’s here, we can start to put the plan into motion.’  
‘Right-o.’ Leaving her side, he pushed his way through the deserters gathered in the tunnel, heading for the surface.  
‘What’s happening?’ Prue looked expectantly at Cammie.  
‘I’ve sent Deesel on look-out duty,’ said Cammie, before turning to to Queen Melidana. ‘Your Majesty, we’re glad that we have you on side.’  
‘Please, as I said to Prue, call me Melidana,’ said the young Queen, ‘there’s no need to stand on ceremony here.’  
‘C’mon,’ said Cammie, gesturing down the tunnel, ‘I’ll take you to the main command centre. It’s a little further down this way. When we get there I’ll fill you in on what’s been happening.’  
As they walked along, making their way past the overspill of deserters filling the tunnels, Prue looked suitably impressed. ‘How many deserters do you have now?’  
‘Almost seventy,’ said Cammie, ‘thanks to the Resistance propaganda, our ranks have swelled considerably.’  
‘That’s still not much against the might of the First Order,’ said Captain Panako, worried.  
‘Not yet,’ said Cammie, ‘but we’ve still trying to make contact with the Gungans. And there’s plenty of people in Theed who are willing to fight with us. Don’t worry, we’ve been busy recruiting!’  
Turning sharply, she led them into a large, natural cave that had been roughly developed into a central command centre for the forthcoming strategy to liberate Theed. Various computers, begged and stolen, formed the centrepiece of the monitoring station. A large hologram map of Theed was projected to one side, it was being closely examined by several deserters that Prue recognised.  
‘From here we’ve been able to monitor patrols day and night’ explained Cammie, ‘and we’ve a good idea of how best to approach retaking the city. We need to get as many troops as we can on-side before we get to the palace. That’s gonna be the main sticking point. It’s protected by a ring of AT-M6s and AT-ATs.’  
‘Is there any way we can reach the crews of those things?’ asked Prue, coming over to the map to have a closer look.  
‘Messandra thinks that she can have a go at hacking into their communications systems,’ said Cammie, pointing over to where a young woman was monitoring a computer screen closely. ‘But we don’t have anything sophisticated.’  
‘If we can get into the palace,’ said Melidana, ‘we might have a better opportunity to reach to the troopers outside it. We’ve got all kinds of technology available in there.’  
‘A good point, your Highness,’ said Captain Panako. ‘Perhaps we could send a separate force to try and break into the palace? Using the tunnels below the city?’  
‘We don’t know what the situation is like inside the palace,’ warned Prue.  
‘But it might be worth a shot,’ mused Cammie, much to Prue’s surprise. ‘Do you still have allies in the palace?’  
‘I don’t know,’ said Melidana, ‘the First Order threatened to replace the Royal Council but I don’t know if they went through with it. I can’t believe that they replaced everyone - there must be someone who will help us.’  
‘It’s a massive risk,’ began Prue.  
‘But one worth taking,’ interjected Cammie. ‘If we can take the palace, we can access its resources. I say we do it.’ Ignoring Prue, who was silently fuming beside her, Cammie asked the Queen if she was prepared to go through with it.  
‘If it will help turn the tide, yes.’  
Suddenly, Deesel came running into the command centre. ‘They’ve found us!’  
‘What?’ Cammie looked at him, horrified.  
‘First Order troops coming this way, into the tunnels,’ he continued, panting from running so hard. ‘They know we’re down here!’  
‘Quick!’ Cammie had put in place a plan for evacuation, and soon it was in motion, preserving the most transportable of the computer equipment and leaving the rest. ‘Everyone follow the emergency procedure! Head to the next safe area!’  
They had just made it back into the tunnels, where most of the deserters had already dispersed, when they heard a shout from behind them.  
‘There they are!’  
Turning around, Prue saw familiar white armoured troops in the distance.  
Grabbing her blaster, Cammie shot wildly towards the oncoming troops. ‘Get going!’  
‘Come on!’ Prue grabbed Cammie’s arm, dragging her onwards as the laser blasts flew around them, throwing rock and dust into the air.  
‘We need to get rid of them, or the plan’s ruined,’ insisted Cammie, continuing to shoot behind her as they ran.  
Rounding the corner, they found Deesel and a squad of ex-troopers waiting for them. ‘I thought you needed some back-up,’ explained Deesel, as Cammie and Prue got into position either side of the tunnel.  
‘Where are the others?’ asked Prue as Deesel started to take pot-shots at the troopers heading towards them.  
‘Going to the next safe spot.’ He was trying to count the number of troops coming for them, ‘There’s a squad I think.’  
‘We need to try and reach out to them,’ said Prue, ‘that’s what Finn said.’  
‘And how do we do that?’ asked Deesel, feeling overwhelmed by the task that they had set themselves.  
For an answer, Prue stepped forward. ‘Stop shooting, let me handle this.’  
‘Are you crazy?’ Cammie was concerned.  
‘You have to trust me!’ said Prue, almost at the turn in the tunnel. ‘We need to get them on side. It’s the only way we’ll win.’ Glancing back, she added, ‘Get to the safe place. I’ll meet you there.’  
‘Prue…’  
‘Do it, Cammie!’  
Seeing a new authority in her lover’s demeanour, Cammie did not argue. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ she muttered as she left Prue alone, taking the others with her.  
So do I. Stepping round the corner, Prue almost collided with the oncoming squad of troops. Swallowing her anxiety she dropped her blaster on the ground and held up her hands. ‘I surrender.’  
The squad commander levelled their blaster at her. ‘Tell the traitors with you to stand down.’  
Taking a deep breath, Prue said, ’Have you ever wondered where you come from?’  
‘What?’  
‘The First Order took you from your family. Denied you your heritage. Don’t you want to know where you come from?’  
The trooper relaxed his blaster slightly, glancing at his comrades. ‘What are you going on about?’  
‘I used to be a stormtrooper like you but now I’m with the Resistance,’ said Prue patiently. She was terrified but a strange feeling of calm came over her, coming from deep inside her. ‘We can tell you where you come from. Who you are.’  
‘All of us?’ It was another trooper who had spoken, a female voice.  
‘All of you,’ nodded Prue. ‘The First Order took you away from your families. They made you serve against your will. You’ve never had a choice. We only ask you to put your weapons down. To stop fighting.’  
There was silence. The troops digested the information that Prue had given them.  
‘You can help us to find out who we are?’ The squad leader spoke, sounding less certain than before.  
‘We can,’ replied Prue, ‘we’ve got an archive from the First Order. Family names, home-world.’ She reached out her hand towards him. ‘I was a trooper just like you. PN-5179. I found out I came from Riosa. That my family name was Renwar.’  
There was a long pause and Prue wondered if she had got through to them, but then the squad leader dropped his blaster and, holding out his hand, took Prue’s in his. ‘They lied to us?’  
‘Yes,’ said Prue, smiling with relief. ‘They lied to us. We were brainwashed, made to think that we belonged to the First Order. But we never have.’  
In answer, the squad leader took off his helmet, revealing a youngish man, with dark hair and haunted eyes. ‘It’s never felt right.’  
The rest of his squad followed suit, revealing a range of faces, male and female, all young.  
‘We’ll stand down,’ their leader went on, he was still holding Prue’s hand. ‘Whatever you want us to do, we’ll do it.’  
‘Come with me,’ encouraged Prue, ‘meet the rest of us. We’ll fill you in as to how we mean to take Naboo back and defeat the First Order.  
The former trooper smiled ruefully, ‘An easy task, then!’ Finally letting go of Prue’s hand, he scratched his head nervously. ‘I don’t know my name. My designation’s OC-2549. This is my crew.’  
The rest of the squad raised their hands nervously in greeting, their belief systems already starting to break down with the revelation that the First Order had lied to them their whole lives.  
‘Let’s get back to the others,’ urged Prue, knowing that time was of the essence. ‘You can choose a new name when we get there.’  
With Prue taking the lead, the new additions to their team of deserters headed after her into the tunnels.

On Coruscant, Officer Quincey hurried to the Chancellor’s Office with another data-packet of potentially bad news, wishing that anyone but her had been asked to deliver the message personally to the Supreme Leader. Hux was less terrifying in person than Snoke and Kylo Ren had been, but he was far more vindictive, able to halt someone’s progress within the First Order with a single word to the commanding officers. And Officer Quincey was ambitious, with dreams of joining one of the teams on the fleet of Star Destroyers, seeing the galaxy as part of their mission to maintain order across the galaxy. She didn’t want to affect her chances through no real fault of her own.  
Reaching the Office, she saw that the doors were wide open. Going in, she found the Supreme Leader speaking to General Engell via a hologram, snapping at her attempts to explain what was going on in the space above Coruscant.  
‘The broadcast is proving impossible to prevent,’ she was saying, ‘we’ve tried breaking the code, even changing the channel. But they keep hacking back into it.’  
‘Then redouble your efforts, Engell. You need to get this situation under control,’ Hux almost shouted, his pale face twisted in fury. ‘Already there’s too many reports of desertion coming in from Coruscant and Naboo. The Resistance are a puny force. Puny! We should be able to crush them!’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader.’ The hologram flickered and vanished.  
Exhausted by the outpouring of emotion, Hux turned to the aide. ‘Yes, what is it, Officer?’  
‘The information you wanted from Admiral Griss, Supreme Leader,’ said Quincey, trying to keep her voice a mixture of authoritative yet deferential. Already another officer had entered behind her, Sheng she thought the man’s name was, and she imagined that the Supreme Leader’s time was precious. Going over to the desk, she gave him the data packet.  
‘Do I want to know what it says?’ he asked, glaring at it.  
‘There’s reports that the Queen of Naboo has returned to Theed, and that the Resistance mean to use her to take back the planet with the support of her people.’ Quincey was pleased with her short, and factual, summary of the information received.  
‘Of course they do,’ grumbled Hux, throwing the data-packet onto the desk, which was already covered with them. He looked at her steadily, his pale blue eyes shining with a strange luminosity, ‘Thank you, Officer,’ he said softly, ‘you can go now.’  
‘You’re welcome,’ Quincey found herself blurting out, disconcerted by the look in his eyes. Was it madness? Or was it resolution. ‘Supreme Leader.’ She left quickly before she could make any more basic mistakes, putting it down to the proximity of her beloved leader.  
When the rest of the data packets had been received, and the bad news delivered, Hux went over to his console to tap in a new code. His mind was all over the place, distracted by the constant interruptions and need to alter strategy. Keep calm, Armitage, he told himself, knowing that the Resistance were but a small thorn in his side. Their new tactic seemed to be sowing discord and uncertainty, and so far it seemed to be working. But he would get a handle on it. He was the Supreme Leader of the dominant government after all. There were reports of squads laying down their weapons and refusing to serve on Coruscant and Naboo, and already one ship above Coruscant had apparently defected, declaring itself neutral. But these were but isolated examples, having little impact on the might of the First Order. He needed a display of military might to restore their integrity, to remind the Resistance of who was in charge.  
‘Supreme Leader,’ Quinn’s hologram appeared on his desk, flickering as the General contacted him from across deep space.  
‘Are you on the way to Naboo?’ Hux asked, folding his arms behind his back.  
‘We are, Supreme Leader, on the Tanis. We’ll be there at 0200 hours.’  
‘Excellent. And the Derriphan is on the way to Coruscant?’ Hux was not sure why the two Star Destroyers had been named after Sith Lords and he was debating whether to rename them. Ships called Victory or Triumph appealed to him.  
‘As you requested.’ Quinn paused for a moment, then added. ‘We’ve managed to prevent the Resistance hacking into our channel aboard the fleet, we’ve easily replaced it with your broadcast.’  
‘Good,’ said Hux, ‘I wonder why Engell was struggling with it.’  
‘But it does seem that it has to be disrupted on each individual ship, otherwise the Resistance will find another way around it.’  
‘Send out a message to that affect to the whole fleet,’ commanded Hux, knowing that with officers like Quinn at his side, he could conquer galaxies. ‘And remind me to strip Engell of her rank when this is all over.’  
Quinn smiled thinly, pleased to see that Hux had finally come round to understanding how weak-minded the General was. ‘Certainly, Supreme Leader.’  
The hologram winked off, and Hux sat down, looking at the pile of data-packets on his desk that needed to be unpacked. It was a daunting task and he started to sort them into some kind of order, looking over to where his aide, Officer Sheng, was keeping an eye on incoming intelligence from across the fleet. He really could do with some help. ‘Where’s Karenia?’  
Sheng looked up, ‘She went to liaise with Commander Cruz, Supreme Leader.’  
Hearing someone else, enter, Hux sighed, passing his hand over his eyes. ‘What is it now?’  
‘Good news, Supreme Leader,’ said Karenia, returning from her trip outside and saluting the Supreme Leader smartly. ‘We’ve located the traitors.’


	48. Love and pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrown into the past, Ben begins to realise the truth of his family's struggles, especially with the Empire. But when Rey is wounded, and they find themselves in a quiet moment, it is Rey who has an important realisation, one that brings her and Ben much closer.

Winded, Rey lay still, her eyes closed. Her ears rang and her head hurt.  
’Rey?’  
Opening her eyes, Rey rolled onto her side and saw that they had jumped locations again. Gone were the luxurious surroundings of the Senate building and, in its place, the flat landscape of yet another desert. The sandy plains were bland and unremarkable, baked into hardness by the fearsome heat of twin suns. The only landmark she could see was a long ridge of rugged, sandstone hills over to the east, a few hours walk away.  
‘Is this Jakku?’ Ben was already on his feet, trying to make sense of their situation. He held out his hand to her.  
Forcing herself to focus, Rey allowed him to haul her to her feet. ‘No, it’s not Jakku,’ she murmured, dusting herself down. Already her tunic was grubby with dirt, ash and sand, representative of the different places they had been too. Yet still she wondered if it was an illusion, a complicated one designed to keep them busy whilst the Shadow made its escape.  
‘Yet another desert planet,’ complained Ben irritably, beginning to hate the sight and feel of sand. He was wondering if he should take his jacket off to cool down, when he noticed that Rey was staring over at the horizon. ‘What is it?’  
‘Can you hear that?’ Rey had been distracted by a noise in the distance, just making out the high pitched whine of a transport approaching them from the north. Yet the atmosphere around it was more troubling than the noise itself. It was the terrible, unmistaken reach of the dark side rippling through the Force towards them. Immediately, Rey ignited her lightsaber, ready to face whatever danger was approaching. She could see the faint blue glow of Ben’s blade as he readied himself next to her.  
In the distance, the transport was starting to reveal its shape as it got closer to where they both waited. Squinting into the bright sunlight, Rey could just make out a grey speeder, driven by a terrifying vision, dressed all in black. Someone with a heavily tattooed face, just visible within its cowl, their expression one of savagery and menace. ‘Who is that?’  
‘I don’t know,’ Ben admitted, ‘I’ve never seen anyone like it before.’ As the figure approached them, he could sense confusion and curiosity. Whoever it was had not expected to find them here.  
As they watched, the figure executed a graceful leap from their speeder bike, somersaulting and landing several feet away, a red lightsaber already in their hand. Baring its teeth, the warrior stared at them with strange, yellow eyes.  
‘It’s a Sith!’ yelled Ben, leaping forwards to meet the warrior’s blade, the energy coursing through his body as the two weapons clashed.  
As Rey attacked from the rear, the warrior extended the other side of his weapon, revealing a double-bladed lightsaber. He was extremely well trained, leaping and pirouetting around them, managing to hold the two of them at bay as they struggled to adapt to his surprisingly graceful fighting style. But, eventually, Ben and Rey became more focused as they relaxed into the fight, adapting their technique to create a seamless, fluid approach to attack and defence. Seeing that his dominance of the fight was disappearing, the Sith flung out his hand and used the Force to push Rey to the ground.   
‘Argh!’ She fell heavily, dropping her weapon.  
With Rey disarmed and Ben distracted, the Sith made good his escape. Extinguishing his lightsaber, he jumped back onto his speeder and sped off into the distance.  
‘Are you okay?’ Ben crouched down beside Rey, checking her over.  
‘I think so.’ Gingerly, with Ben’s help, Rey got back to her feet, confused by what had happened.   
‘They must’ve been looking for someone else,’ was Ben’s opinion.  
Their interactions so far had been purposeful but the fight with the Sith just seemed to be a meaningless distraction, achieving little. ‘Now what do we do?’  
‘We just… walk?’ suggested Ben. There wasn’t much else they could do.  
They hadn’t gone far when their surroundings changed again and they were in a freezing cold tunnel, carved out of snow. Immediately Rey started to shiver, her breath forming small clouds in the frigid air. Long electrical cables and heating pipes extended along the walls, proving that the place was inhabited but something terrible was happening. The whole tunnel was shaking, huge lumps of ice toppling from the ceiling and falling from the walls, smashing onto the ground. From somewhere far away, the sound of muffled booms and thuds suggested the relentless movement of huge machines. With every thump and shudder, the lights flickered on and off, adding to the sense of urgency and desperation.  
‘What the hell?’ Ben moved quickly as another huge chunk of snow fell from the ceiling above, narrowly missing his head by inches.  
‘It’s under attack!’ realised Rey, falling into Ben as another huge thud rocked the tunnel from side to side, dislodging a section of the wall behind them. ‘We need to move!’  
Rey was right but which way to go? The tunnel ended at a T junction several feet away, behind them it stretched away into the distance, curving around to the left.   
Noticing a fleeting shadow, Rey pointed to the T junction. ’That way!’  
They raced around to the left, nearly colliding with a group of people coming the other way with panic etched onto their faces. They were dressed in warm quilted jackets, a prominent red symbol displayed above their pockets.   
‘You’ll need to get to a transport,’ said one of the group to them hurriedly, a young woman with cropped, dark hair, ‘It’s not going to last much longer!’  
‘We will,’ said Ben, watching as the group disappeared down the opposite corridor. ‘They’re Rebels,’ he said to Rey, recognising the symbol on their jackets. Amidst all the panic, the noise and the relentless thuds, he could sense a familiar presence… no, more than one.  
The tunnel network shuddered violently, showering them with fresh snow and causing an avalanche behind them, blocking the tunnels that the group of Rebels had gone down. There was only one way to go. Forwards.  
As they raced along the tunnels, they could hear new sounds, the whistle and crump of laser fire coming from above, the rumble of ice as the corridors shuddered and shook.   
Coming to another junction, Rey stopped abruptly, hearing someone else coming. She warned Ben and they just had time to shelter inside a nearby doorway when, from the opposite direction, came Princess Leia, running past with a determined look on her face. She was closely followed by a tall man in a dark jacket and trousers, equally determined to keep up with her.  
‘They’re always in the thick of things,’ remarked Rey, watching as Ben’s parents disappeared into the tunnels.  
‘We can’t go this way.’ Ben tried the door but with no success, it was either locked or unresponsive.  
They were about to leave their hiding place when they heard someone else coming past. It was Threepio, muttering to himself about ungrateful pirates and fickle princesses. Once the droid had shuffled past, Ben and Rey came out of hiding and went the opposite way to Han and Leia, thinking it was best to avoid them. But they had not gone far when they stumbled into far worse trouble. Stormtroopers, a whole squad of them, dressed for the freezing conditions in insulated helmets and long capes, searching the base for survivors.   
Ben was uncertain who was more startled, the stormtroopers or him and Rey, but he managed to quickly grab his blaster and take a couple of them out before the laser blasts started to fly towards them. With Rey armed, they raced back down the corridor, the stormtroopers in close pursuit.  
‘What’s the plan?’ yelled Rey, stopping to shoot another round, and managing to fell two more of their pursuers. Smoke from the blaster fire filled the corridor, making it hard to see and breathe.  
‘Keep running,’ Ben shouted back, thinking that they were too heavily outnumbered to stand and fight them.  
They found another, narrower service tunnel and followed it away from the main passageways. It was in bad shape, large chunks of ice had fallen from the ceiling and walls, forcing Ben and Rey to put more effort into running than fighting, making them more susceptible to enemy fire. But even worse, when they raced around the corner, they were confronted with a wall of ice. The entire corridor had caved in, making it impossible to go any further.   
‘We have to go back,’ said Rey with dismay, whilst Ben wondered if they could move the ice using the Force. But he agreed with Rey that if the troops found them down here, they would have little chance of escape. Running back to the main tunnel, they were surprised to find that it was empty, most of the stormtroopers having dispersed elsewhere into the base.  
‘I think we’ve lost them,’ said Rey brightly, peering into the distance.  
‘Hmm,’ Ben was less optimistic, and cautiously, they made their way along the route they had originally intended to take. They hadn’t made it far though when a burst of laser slammed into the wall behind them, spraying them with splinters of ice.  
‘That’s a no then,’ muttered Ben, as they were forced to retreat again.  
‘What now?’ asked Rey, aiming her blaster as more and more stormtroopers poured into the tunnel. They were surrounded now on both sides, forced to take up defensive positions, back to back in the corridor, covering all sides. It would have been an effective approach if they had not been heavily outnumbered. For every stormtrooper they shot, another two appeared.  
‘This isn’t going to work,’ admitted Ben, using the Force to push back two of the troopers that were getting too close to their position.  
‘We need to get out of here,’ Rey started to say then stopped as a searing hot pain ripped through her arm. Gasping out loud, she clutched at her sleeve where the laser blast had hit her.  
‘Rey!’ With a flash of anger, Ben shot dead the stormtrooper responsible. Grabbing hold of a stunned Rey, he bundled her against the tunnel wall, using his body to shield her. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked, continuing to shoot at the stormtroopers hounding them.  
‘It’s not bad.’ Gritting her teeth, she tried to ignore the pain but it was difficult. She could barely concentrate over the noise and the chaos to channel the Force to where it hurt.  
All of a sudden, the firing stopped. Reinforcements were no longer being channelled into this section of the base and Ben saw that the way was clear. ‘Can you move?’ he asked Rey with gentle concern.  
She frowned at him. They had shot her arm, not her leg. ‘Of course.’  
Keeping their blasters trained on the corridor in front of them, Ben and Rey jogged cautiously forwards, keeping an eye out for stray stormtroopers.  
‘Can you feel that?’ asked Ben, coming to a halt as he sensed a change in the atmosphere. There was a growing sense of horror and malevolence heading towards them, a presence that was powerfully strong in the dark side.  
‘What is it?’ It felt different to the Shadow.  
Ben stared into the distance. He recognised the presence. He had felt it once before when his grandfather’s ruined helmet had spoken to him. ‘Vader.’  
‘Vader?’ Afraid, Rey turned away, intent on escaping. But Ben was rooted to the spot. ‘Come on,’ she urged him, grabbing his arm.  
Although he heard her, other voices in his head were drowning her out. The dark side was calling to him, urging him to return. Only it knew what he needed, what he wanted. It knew who he really was.   
You don’t belong in the light, the voices whispered seductively, there’s too much blood on your hands. Come back to the dark, to your true path. Where you belong.  
‘No!’ The light was where he belonged, with Rey and his family, not with the self-loathing and horror of the dark. But still the voices called to him.  
‘Ben!’ Rey tried again to get him to follow her, but he seemed to be in a trance, unable to move.  
Then, a terrible vision appeared at the end of the corridor. The figure of Darth Vader, his huge, dark, bulky shape standing out against the icy tunnels.  
‘Come on,’ panicking now, Rey tried to pull Ben away but he resisted her attempts. He couldn’t stop staring at the man he had once sought to emulate.  
Ben…. The dark side… it is your destiny…  
The Sith Lord started to stride purposefully towards them, his long cloak billowing out behind him.  
Was he even real? It seemed strange that all the troops had disappeared. But Rey did not care to find out, her only instinct was to run. Moving in front of Ben, she started to push him bodily down the tunnel. It was difficult, Ben was much taller and heavier than she was, but her determination, and the Force, eventually shook him out of his torpor. It was just in time. Another minute and Darth Vader would see them and then… she didn’t want to think about what might happen.   
Together, they raced down the tunnel and skidded around the corner. In her haste, Rey misjudged her trajectory and ploughed into Ben, knocking them both over and falling headfirst into a thick clump of ferns.  
Ferns?  
As her breathing slowed down, and the adrenaline left her system, Rey looked around her. She was in a forest, surrounded by the tallest trees she had ever seen. High above, in the leaf canopy, she could hear the pleasant sound of birds singing, and flies buzzed lazily around her. Dense undergrowth characterised the forest floor; as well as the ferns she could see several different types of brightly coloured flowers. Compared to the icy tunnels they had left behind, the woods were calm and peaceful, and Rey rolled over, allowing herself to relax. There was no sense of urgency, or danger, for the first time since they had left Exegol. Collapsing back into the soft foliage, she sighed deeply, ‘That was close.’  
Hearing a groan from beside her, she looked over to see Ben was also lying on his back in the ferns, staring through the canopy of leaves at the cloudy sky high above them. He looked terrified, beads of sweat clinging to his face.   
‘Ben?’  
Slowly, his eyes moved to look at her. They were wet with tears.  
‘What is it?’ Clearly something significant had happened to him in the icy tunnels, she could sense anxiety about his parents and a great deal of fear and confusion.  
‘It was calling to me,’ he said wretchedly. He covered his face with his hands as if to hide his failure from her. ‘I couldn’t resist it.’  
He had to mean the dark side. ‘I won’t let you go back.’  
‘How can you stop me?’ It was an honest question. Before, his family had floundered in the face of the growing darkness inside him. Why would Rey be any different?  
‘I’ll chop your head off if I have to.’ It was a poor joke but she got his attention. More seriously she went on, ‘It’s trying to manipulate you, to make you think that you belong in the dark. But you don’t.’  
Ben kept his hands over his face. ‘Then why does it think I still need it?’  
Rey had no answer to that and she felt for him. Not pity, but sorrow. Ben’s experience made her realise how strong the pull to the dark side could be. Its hooks had got deep into him, helping her to understand why the Jedi had been so insistent on sticking rigidly to their codes. Even the slightest waver or mistake could mean giving the dark side greater leverage. Whilst he would never be free of it, she reasoned that she could be there for him, to help him get through it. Just as he had tried to help her when the situation was reversed. ‘We’ll face it together,’ she said finally, ‘there’s darkness inside me too.’  
Ben finally removed his hands from his face, remembering that he did not have to struggle alone anymore. That was one of his flaws, his propensity to focus inwards when he was faced with difficult situations, to forget that there were people who cared about him, who could help him. Whilst he gathered himself together, Rey went back to looking at their surroundings. ‘Where do you think we are?’  
But Ben wasn’t listening. He was staring at her sleeve, which was saturated with blood. Moving closer, he gently lifted her arm to look at it properly. The laser blast had caught her just above her arm wraps. The skin was ragged and torn at the edges, swelling up beneath it as infection took hold. ‘That doesn’t look good.’  
‘Ouch!’ she flinched at his inspection, batting his hand away.  
‘Sorry.’ He felt awful for thinking about himself when she was struggling with the pain of her wound.  
‘It’s not your fault,’ she grimaced, breathing deeply to try and contain it. ‘It was that stupid stormtrooper.’  
Ben could see that the wound needed cleaning. ’Can I have your scarf?’ he asked, indicating the long piece of fabric that was wrapped around her several times. When Rey nodded, he started to unbuckle her belt slowly and carefully. It was strangely intimate, sending shivers through her whole body, and she was relieved when he’d finished. Then he removed her scarf. Sectioning the cloth, he divided it up into several pieces and handed her one piece, getting her to hold it against her wound to staunch the blood. ‘Stay here,’ he instructed her, standing up. ‘I’ll go and look for some water.’  
‘Don’t be too long,’ she said, feeling anxious. In contrast to the open vistas of the desert, forests were filled with hidden dangers.  
‘Don’t worry, sweetheart,’ he said with a disarming grin, ‘I’ll come back for you.’  
As he disappeared into the bushes, Rey reflected that she had heard those words somewhere before, if not in the same order. Stay here, I’ll come back for you, sweetheart. That was it! But where had she heard them? Then she remembered. She had heard them in her dreams when she had been a frightened little girl on Jakku. Could it have been Ben she had heard, a hint of her future connection with him? She remembered that the old woman had told her that the power of the dyad crossed time and space. Back then, the voice had both terrified and reassured her, and tears came into her eyes when she remembered how lonely she had been.  
A sudden thought came into her head. Perhaps her loneliness had not only been the lack of family or friends, but because she had always been one half of a dyad. Perhaps the emptiness inside her had been the Force trying to tell her that she was part of something more, only she had to go out and find it. She remembered Ben telling her how he had felt lonely despite the love from his family. It seemed he too had experienced the pull of the dyad as an aching emptiness, something that could not be satiated until they had found each other. For so long they had been like two wandering stars, waiting to come into each others’ orbit and burn even brighter.  
Such thoughts occupied her as she lay in the ferns, trying to rest. But it was not long until she started to fidget, wondering where Ben had got to. She couldn’t shake the sense that something was nearby. Sitting up, she became aware of a strange, snuffling sound coming from the trees to the north of where she sat. Quickly, she hunkered down further into the ferns, hoping whatever it was would not see or smell her.  
After a few minutes, a small, furry creature wearing a leather cap emerged from behind a tree. It walked on two legs, and in its paws was a weapon, a bow. Evidently it was hunting for something. It kept pausing and sniffing the air.  
A rustling noise from the bushes behind her frightened the creature and it ran away, disappearing back into the trees. Peering out from her hiding place, Rey saw that it was Ben and relief flooded through her. ‘Where did you get to?’  
‘I found water,’ he said, crouching down beside her. Removing her hand, he pressed a wet cloth tightly against her wound. ‘It’s quite far from here but if you need some…’  
‘Hey!’ He wasn’t being careful enough and it stung terribly. She pushed him away.  
‘Sorry.’ When she had calmed down, he tried again, this time with less pressure, ‘Better?’  
‘Yes.’ She watched as he used the cool water to soothe the heat around the infection, then clean up the blood around it. ‘I’ll have two scars,’ she murmured, realising that there was one either side, one on each arm. The scars of combat.  
‘It balances you out,’ he said, trying to find something positive about her beautiful skin being maimed.  
As Ben started to wrap the last piece of dry cloth around her arm, Rey thought about how much she enjoyed being with him, even if their approach to problem solving was sometimes at odds. The change she saw in Ben had undoubtedly helped. Instead of focusing inwardly on his own needs, as Snoke had encouraged him to do, he was now looking outwards more, revealing his compassionate side. He was willing to help others even if it meant putting himself in a difficult situation or in danger, like pretending to the Overseer, helping Kyp, or when he had saved her from the Shadow. It was then that she knew she could forgive him. Yes, he had done terrible things but he had been in a bad place, his feelings twisted and manipulated by another, isolated from his family, and separated from the dyad. She was convinced that the Ben she had got to know would not make those same choices if he was faced with them again.  
‘What is it?’ He had almost finished wrapping the cloth around her arm and could feel her eyes boring into him.  
‘Ben, I.…’   
‘Shush.’ He held up his hand cautiously, sensing something not far away from them, moving through the trees. There was a slight snuffling sound and they kept silent, waiting for whatever it was to appear. But nothing did. The unknown creature decided to take another path through the forest and left them alone.  
Rey suddenly felt very tired. The constant to-ing and fro-ing through time and space had been disorientating, and now she was sat down, she was not sure that she would get up again. With very little happening, perhaps she should get some sleep.  
‘That’s a good idea,’ agreed Ben, tying off the ends of the bandage.  
‘I wish you wouldn’t do that,’ Rey grumbled.  
‘I can’t help it,’ he said with a faint smile, ‘your thoughts are so loud.’  
The unmistakable feeling of tiredness crept over her and Rey felt her eyes closing. Aware that she had not told him about her epiphany yet, she forced them back open with difficulty.  
‘Why fight it?’ Tucking the ends of the bandage away tidily, Ben looked at her tenderly. Whilst he had been working, he had called on the Force to help assuage her pain but he wished he could do more. ‘Rest. I’ll keep watch.’  
‘You’ll wake me if anything exciting happens?’ she murmured, finally allowing her insistently closing eyelids to have their way.  
‘I promise.’ Without thinking, he leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her forehead, just as his parents had always done before he went to sleep. It was meant as a comforting gesture, no different to holding her hand or caressing her shoulder.  
But for Rey, it was so unexpected that his lips burnt like fire against her skin. Her eyes snapped open. ‘You kissed me.’  
‘So I did…’ he began to say but impetuously, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his, believing that, finally, it was the right time. As their lips met, she found his were as soft and inviting as she hoped they would be, and she closed her eyes, immersing herself in the moment. Enjoying the softness of his mouth and the tenderness of his response as their kiss deepened, his arms wrapping tightly around her. She was aware of every tingle of excitement that coursed through her body, the touch of his fingers as they lingered on her neck. Then, when she finally opened her eyes, she found Ben was looking at her, his eyes bright with love and his need for her.   
‘Do you feel that?’ she whispered. Now she had finally admitted her love for him, she felt a new connection between them. One that was not created by the Force, by destiny, but one that had been freely chosen. It was subtlety different to their connection as a dyad, felt through her entire body, making her acutely aware of how she was linked to Ben through the energy of the Force that sparked and surged with great intensity all around them.  
He nodded, unable to put into words how he felt at that moment. It was impossible. He had thought that his love for her was strong, but now that Rey’s feelings were revealed to him, he realised she felt as strongly as he did, but with an innocence and a purity that breathed new life into his broken soul.  
Wanting more, she kissed him again, her confidence growing along with her passion, her hands reaching for his body underneath his sweater. Holding her close, Ben was lost in her too; one hand in her hair, the other holding the back of her neck, his mouth pressed hotly against hers, parting her lips slightly as he gave into his long suppressed desires, sending warm shivers of excitement flooding through them both. Potent feelings swirled about them in the Force, filling Rey’s mind with sensations that were more intoxicating than anything she had experienced before. No wonder the Jedi had not allowed themselves to feel this way; all she wanted was Ben, to be with him, to love him as much as he loved her. Nothing else mattered to her at that moment.  
‘I thought you were supposed to be sleeping?’ he chided her softly when they eventually parted, hot and breathless. Deeply affected by the change in their relationship, initially Ben had been surprised when she had kissed him, but then he remembered the vision he’d had of them together, what seemed like a lifetime ago. How it had come true was beyond him to understand but he realised that there must have been a fundamental change in how she felt about him for her to be able to finally admit to her desire.  
Almost delirious with relief from unburdening her soul, as well as exhaustion, Rey was unusually unguarded. ‘I do love you,’ she murmured, affirming it to herself, as well as to Ben.  
‘You love me?’ Affectionately, he touched her cheek. He had longed for it to happen but now it had, he couldn’t help feeling uncertain, wondering why she had changed her mind. It seemed obvious to him why he would fall in love with her - she was his equal, the light to his darkness, everything he could have been if he had not fallen. But what could he offer her?   
‘Yes.’  
‘Are you sure it’s not concussion?’ He stroked her cheek with his thumb, unable to stop touching her.  
‘I don’t have concussion.’  
‘Tiredness then?’  
‘Ben!’ He seemed unable to accept that she had finally decided upon her feelings for him and it made her realise how far Snoke’s machinations had impacted upon his self-worth. Reaching up, she touched his face and looked deep into his eyes, showing him the change that she saw in him, letting him know that he did deserve her love.   
‘But… everything I’ve done,’ he frowned, not sure that she was thinking clearly.  
‘I forgive you.’  
‘You do?’ This was news to him.  
‘Yes.’ In her exhaustion, she had forgotten that he had not been party to the decision she had made earlier in the bushes. But, most of all, she didn’t understand why he couldn’t accept her feelings for him. ‘Don’t you want me to love you?’  
‘Yes, of course I do,’ he told her, wondering how he could explain his concerns. ‘You mean everything to me. Everything. I just… I need you to be certain,’ he went on, feeling anxious, wanting to know that she was giving her heart in full awareness that his crimes would never go away. That the shame and the regret would always be with him. ‘If you changed your mind…’  
‘I wouldn’t,’ she cut in, knowing what he was going to say. ‘I couldn’t.’ Now that she had committed to her feelings she knew that she was making herself vulnerable too; she had to be certain. ‘I love you, Ben Solo. Get used to it.’  
Smiling, he pushed a stray strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, wishing that he could savour this moment forever. To burn her beautiful face upon his memory as her eyes shone with warmth and love - for him. It was more than he ever could have hoped for. ‘I can’t quite believe it, that’s all.’  
‘I know,’ she said softly, ‘but it’s true.’  
They kissed again to seal the change in their relationship. Already so much of the tension that had built up between them had already melted away, replaced by certainty.  
Lying down in Ben’s arms, Rey eventually drifted off to sleep as the feelings that had been churned up by their emotional exchange finally settled down. Nestled in the ferns, Ben studied her face as she slept, hardly able to believe what had just happened. When he had first fallen to the dark side, he had accepted that he would always be alone, unloved. Like his grandfather had been. Yet his fateful meeting with, first, Rey, then his father, had reminded him that he did, and indeed, could feel love for others. It had started the steady climb back up into the light, that had culminated in his revelation on Kef Bir. Sighing contentedly, he settled down to keep watch, amazed that the Oracle’s vision to him, one that he had once considered unreachable, was closer than ever to becoming a reality.


	49. Taking back Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After battling across the city, Finn, Rose and Jannah are close to collapse, mentally and physically exhausted from the pressure of trying to turn enough stormtroopers away from the First Order. But they have made it to the area around Monument Plaza and the Senate is in sight. Picking up more troops along the way, it is up to Rose and MC to take out a shield generator that Hux has installed in the plaza, old-fashioned tech that is left over from the Clone Wars. After they confess their attraction to each other, Rose is wounded in her attempt to destroy the shield generator, leaving MC to deal with it on his own. Will he survive? The odds are unfortunately stacked against him.

‘We’re five blocks away.’ Crouched down behind a low wall, Jannah was looking at her data-pad. It didn’t seem far now to the centre but she knew that this would be the most dangerous part of their mission. They had been making their way steadily through the city, systematically taking each district, trying to convince the patrols from each area to either stand down or swell their numbers. Most of the time it had worked, but they were still struggling to get a foothold in the city overall. Some districts they’d had to abandon, the troopers proving more difficult to sway. The success of the programming appeared to be completely random. Some troops readily joined them, others regarded them as traitors and they had been forced to defend themselves robustly. Yet more were suspicious of the Resistance’s intentions, and had refused to join them, even if they had stood down. But as Finn had suspected all along, starting to sow the seeds of doubt was their most effective approach. The lack of pursuit from the troops that they had already approached was a testament to the impact that their words were having.  
‘Getting into the Senate’s gonna be impossible, you know that, don’t you?’ said MC, fiddling with one of the devices that he was holding. According to their intelligence, the Chancellor’s Office was surrounded by elite Stormtrooper forces, as yet un-encountered, as well as the ring of war machines that patrolled the plaza day and night. It would be the toughest part of their plan to crack.  
‘Difficult but not impossible,’ murmured Finn, peering into a pair of quadoculars he had borrowed from one of the troopers they had encountered, trying to see what they were up against. He could see a couple of patrols in the distance but had no idea of their numbers.  
‘I wish I had your optimism,’ smiled MC, finishing off his work and making sure the wires were tidied away inside the back of the device. Replacing the cover, he attached it back on with a tiny electronic screwdriver. ‘In my opinion it’s a suicide mission.’  
Finn didn’t really want to hear his opinion, but he kept his thoughts to himself. It had been a hard slog to get to where they were, and everyone was beginning to feel the effects of exhaustion. Slumped beside MC, Rose could barely speak, tired out from the continued stress and anxiety as they made their way slowly through the occupied city.   
‘Here, take this.’ Jannah handed her a small, blue tablet. It was a burst of concentrated energy, good for keeping the tiredness at bay.  
‘Thanks.’ Rose hated taking them. The tablets made her head feel strange and woolly at the best of times but it was the only thing that would counteract her desire to lie down and sleep. Whilst they waited for Finn to review the situation, Rose looked at Jannah. ‘I wonder what Rey’s doing now?’  
‘I’ve no idea,’ shrugged Jannah, washing her own tablet down with a mouthful of water from Finn’s bottle. ‘I hope she’s okay though, who knows what her and Ben found on Exegol besides those Star Destroyers.’  
‘Hopefully they’ll be back from Exegol by now,’ Rose went on, talking to keep her mind alert. ‘I wish they were here, we could really do with their help.’ She thought of Rey and Ben fighting in the hangar on Ajan Kloss, how skilful they had been. How useful it would be to have them in their team, helping to turn the tide against the First Order.  
‘What’s that?’ Finn moved back over now that he had felt he had a better handle on what was up ahead.  
‘Rose was saying how useful it would’ve been to have Rey and Ben with us,’ remarked Jannah, trying to stifle a huge yawn that was brewing.  
‘Yeah, it would.’ Finn realised that he hadn’t thought about his friend all the time that they had been on Coruscant. ‘I hope they’re okay. Anyway, we need to focus. There’s several squads up ahead, patrolling the district boundary. I can’t see beyond them, but I suspect security will be ramped up now that we’re getting close to the plaza.’  
‘It’s not gonna be easy to get through them,’ pronounced Rose. ‘They’ll be expecting us surely.’ On MC’s device, they had intercepted a message pronouncing them enemies of the First Order, to be shot on sight. So far, no stormtroopers had taken the initiative but with the random impact of the programming, it was likely that some would remain loyal to their First Order overlords.  
‘We need a distraction,’ suggested Jannah, looking down the row of buildings in front of them. It was an ordinary street, lined with shops and apartment blocks, although everywhere was shut. ‘Something that will give us an element of surprise.’  
‘What like?’ asked Finn, not sure what she was getting at.  
‘A speeder or something like that.’  
‘And where are we going to get one of those from?’ asked Rose, looking at her in disbelief.  
‘There must be one somewhere,’ countered Jannah, glancing around her. ‘The skyways are shut, what else are people going to do with them?’  
They were in an area of apartment blocks and shops, slightly more upmarket than the scruffy, semi-abandoned districts they had already worked their way through but still needing an overhaul. With the curfew that had been imposed on the city, the streets were empty. Citizens were confined to their homes or they would face arrest. Then, Jannah noticed what appeared to be a garage, a single metal door that was just off the main street behind them.  
‘I’ll go and have a look in there,’ she said, pointing it out to Finn. ‘If we can get a couple of speeders, we can blast our way through the patrol before they know what’s happening to them.’ When Finn remained silent, thinking, she went on, ‘Good idea?’  
‘As good as any.’  
‘Oh, thanks…’  
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way,’ said Finn, realising he had been a little too blunt. Feelings were running high and he needed to keep everyone calm. ‘But it’s a good plan. Why don’t you and MC go and see what you can find? I’ll stay here with Rose.’ The rest of the team were scattered around the immediate area, keeping an eye on the patrols in the distance. Ready to sing out if there were any changes in activity or movement.  
‘Okay.’ Feeling appeased, Jannah turned to MC. ‘Ready?’  
‘Yeah.’ Stuffing his device back into his bag, MC got to his feet and followed Jannah furtively over to the garage.  
Left behind, Finn looked at Rose. She seemed to be fading, and he was getting concerned about her. ‘You okay?’  
‘Yeah, I’m just tired.’ Rose passed her hand over her eyes. ‘I wish this was over.’  
‘I know what you mean.’ It felt like they had been awake for hours, and they probably had been. ‘But it’ll be worth it when we get into the Senate building.’  
Meanwhile, Jannah and MC had managed to break into the garage with one of his many tools, opening up the metal door and heading inside.   
‘Brilliant!’ Right in front of them was a speeder, able to fit four people in it, including the pilot. It was a basic model, in bad condition, but it hardly mattered. Jannah looked at MC, ‘Are you any good at hot-wiring these things?’  
MC grinned, ‘Oh yes. You’re looking at the product of a misspent childhood.’   
Finn was looking through the quadoculars again when he heard a noise behind him, the low hum of an approaching engine. Looking round, he saw Jannah piloting a speeder, MC sat behind her.  
‘C’mon! Get in!’ shouted Jannah, knowing they wouldn’t have much time until the troopers noticed them.   
Grinning at each other, Finn and Rose ran over. Finn jumped in alongside Jannah, whilst Rose took the seat next to MC. Switching on his comlink Finn told Thwisp to follow them, ‘This is how we take the next district!’ he whooped as Jannah sped off down the street, heading towards the barrier of troops at the end of it.  
‘Stop at once!’ shouted the squad commander as soon as he saw them, his voice amplified by his helmet. ‘You are violating the conditions of the curfew!’  
Immediately, the squad raised their blasters, pointing them straight at the speeder.  
Standing up, Finn raised his own blaster into the air, firing a few rounds of laser to show he meant business, causing Rose and MC to duck down in fright.  
‘It’s the Resistance!’ yelled the squad leader, keeping his blaster trained on the speeder. Beside him, his troops looked at each other in confusion, wondering what was going to happen.  
‘Stand down! We don’t want to fight you!’ Finn yelled as the speeder continued its unerring path towards the troops, ‘We want to help you find out the truth!’  
‘The truth?’ They had seen the leaflets, heard the broadcasts. It was starting to sink in. Slowly, the squad leader lowered his blaster. It was the signal for his squad to do the same.  
‘Slow down,’ Finn said to Jannah. When Jannah pressed her foot to the brake, he turned back to the squad leader and shouted, ‘The truth about who you are.’  
‘Which is?’  
‘You’re only cannon fodder for the First Order,’ said Finn, as Jannah brought the speeder to a smooth stop in front of him. ‘They don’t care about who you are. Get out now whilst you still can. Before you become another war statistic.’  
‘What? Killed by the Resistance?’ The leader of the squad was wavering but he wasn’t quite there yet.  
‘We don’t want to kill anyone,’ said Finn confidently, trying to keep the momentum. ‘We want to take the city, to stop the First Order before Hux gets out of control. You know what happened to Kijimi. You know what happened to Hosian Prime. The same will happen to more planets, more systems. Any one that gets in Hux’s way will be obliterated. Including his own personnel.’  
‘Is that so?’  
‘I know so,’ continued Finn, ‘do you think they went to the trouble of getting all the ground forces off Kijimi before they blew it up?’  
As Finn watched, the stormtrooper removed his helmet. There was recognition in his hazel eyes. ‘You’re FN-2187, aren’t you?’  
‘I am,’ Finn could sense that his feelings towards him were changing.  
‘Is it true you killed Phasma?’ he asked eagerly. The story of the defection of FN-2187 had spread like wildfire through the ranks of stormtroopers, although it had become garbled in the continual re-telling. He had stood down on Jakku, throwing his blaster at Kylo Ren and refusing to fight. He had rescued an infamous Resistance traitor, blowing up a Star Destroyer in the process. He had returned to the Supremacy to specifically kill Phasma, his nemesis, disguised as an officer. The squad leader could barely believe that he was in his presence, so infamous had he become.  
‘Yes.’  
‘And you don’t want to kill me? Kill any of us?’  
‘No, I don’t.’ Dropping his blaster, Finn jumped out of the speeder, standing face to face with the squad leader. ‘None of us do.’ he indicated Jannah behind him, ‘Jannah here was a stormtrooper too. We want to help you to find out who you really are.’  
‘Who we really are,’ repeated the squad leader, almost in a daze. His programming had already begun to break down but the existence of FN-2187, who he had almost thought was a dream, was causing it to accelerate as new possibilities were opened up.  
‘We don’t know who we are,’ continued Finn softly, ‘the First Order took that away from us. Erased our identity. Made us into killing machines. That’s all we are to them. Expendable.’  
‘Hux doesn’t care about us,’ said a trooper from behind their leader, pulling her helmet off, and throwing it onto the ground.  
‘They took us away from our families,’ said another, removing his helmet.  
‘They brainwashed us into thinking that we believed in their cause.’  
‘They want us to think that we can’t survive without them.’  
Soon the entire squad had removed their helmets, blinking in the sunlight, revealing the people behind the masks.   
‘What do you need us to do?’ their leader asked, looking at Finn and his team with admiration. They had read the propaganda, but without coming into contact with the legendary FN-2187 it was unlikely that it would have been quite so effective.  
‘Whatever you want to do,’ said Finn honestly. ‘All we ask is that you lay down your weapons and stop fighting for the First Order. If you don’t want to fight with us that’s fine. We can give you a safe space to wait in until this is all over. But if you do want to fight with us, we’re heading for the plaza. We mean to take the Senate.’  
‘That’s an ambitious plan,’ said the squad leader, whose designation was LF-1977. ‘You know that Hux has surrounded himself with a new elite corps? Trained to fight to the death?’  
‘We heard rumours,’ said Jannah, who was still sat in the speeder. ‘But any intel you can give us will be greatly appreciated.’  
LF-1977 turned to his squad. ‘This is an individual choice as FN-2187 said, but I’m gonna join the Resistance, to help them fight the First Order. Who’s with me?’  
Many hands raised up, about three-quarters of the squad. The remainder looked embarrassed but Finn reassured them that they would not think any less of them if they did not want to fight. It was a personal choice after all. Leaving them with Jannah, who had climbed out of the speeder, he went over to where LF-1977 was speaking quietly to one of the female stormtroopers, designation LF-2005. They were discussing the situation around the Senate and how they might help Finn and his team get into the centre without being detected by the machinery that guarded it.  
‘We were just saying,’ said LF-1977 as Finn came over, ‘Hux’s rigged up a forcefield around the plaza to protect the Senate.’  
‘What?’ This was new information. ‘Since when?’  
‘Since two days ago,’ explained LF-2005. ‘It’s similar tech to what they used during the Clone Wars, only with some modifications.’  
‘How the hell are we going to get through that?’ frowned Finn, thinking that their job had just become a lot harder.  
‘Is it powered from a central location?’ asked MC. He was standing close by with Rose, listening carefully whilst Finn and the others worked out their next bit of the strategy.   
‘Yes,’ replied LF-2005, ‘the generator’s located in the plaza, protected by the AT-M6 barricade.’   
‘Then that should be easy to deal with,’ shrugged MC, ‘all we need is someone to get through to its location and disable it.’  
Jannah frowned at his definition of easy. ’And how do they get through the shield?’  
‘The barrier’s designed to repulse larger munitions such as artillery cannon or torpedoes, as well as prevent anyone from getting in and out of the plaza,’ said LF-1977 helpfully. ‘But it’s not designed to stop blaster fire. And it can be lifted for a few seconds to allow for the safe passage of individuals,’  
‘Could you get it to open?’ Finn asked MC, remembering all the devices that he carried along with him.  
‘I should be able to disrupt it in order to get someone close enough to take it out,’ nodded the former code-breaker.  
‘And could that someone be you?’ said Finn eagerly, seeing a new possibility unfold before his eyes.  
MC visibly paled but he nodded. ‘It could.’  
‘We need MC to open up communications with the AT-M6s,’ Rose reminded him. ‘I’ll take out the shield generator.’  
‘Are you sure?’ Finn looked at Rose in surprise that she had volunteered for the obviously more dangerous mission.  
‘Of course I’m sure,’ insisted Rose, ‘anything to get rid of the First Order.’  
‘Then what are we waiting for?’ said Finn, buoyed up with enthusiasm, ‘let’s get to the plaza.’ With the support of LF-1977 and his squad, Finn felt much more confident. They had insider information, which not only included the information about the forcefield but could get them into contact with one of the crews inside the AT-M6s. ‘Right then,’ he said, as everyone gathered around him. Jannah, MC and Rose. Thwisp and her team. LF-1977 and his squadron. ‘Let’s go over the plan one more time.’  
‘The two squads will go ahead to clear the way,’ said Jannah, ‘one led by you, Finn and LF-1977, the other by me and LF-2005. Rose and MC will wait here until we contact them, then they’ll bring the speeder to the rendezvous point. Under our protection, MC will set up the communications equipment. Whilst we contact the AT-M6 crew and get them to stand down, MC will then take out the shield generator, giving Rose enough time to get into the plaza and destroy it.’  
Rose patted her jacket. ‘With the explosives.’  
Jannah nodded, closing her data-pad. ’Once we’ve got the machines to stand down and we’ve destroyed the forcefield, we can get into the Senate.’  
‘It sounds so simple,’ said Finn, ‘but as you all know, it’s gonna be different in practice. Now, I’m sure there’s lots of holes in this plan but until we get there we don’t really know how it’s gonna play out so we need to be flexible.’ He turned to Rose and MC, ‘Right, you two wait here whilst we get through to the plaza. Be ready to join us on our signal.’  
‘Of course.’ Rose was trying not to think about the magnitude of what she had volunteered to do.  
‘Be careful,’ said Jannah, smiling at her friend before she went to join the former stormtroopers in her team.  
‘You too,’ replied Rose, almost in tears.  
Reaching out to her, understanding her anxiety, Finn took Rose’s hand and squeezed it tightly. ‘We’re nearly there.’  
‘Don’t lie to me,’ frowned Rose, only half-joking. ‘We’ve still got the Senate to deal with after this.’  
‘So we have. But one thing at a time, hey?’ Hoisting his blaster onto his shoulder, Finn headed off to join his half of the squad with LF-1977, leaving Rose and MC awkwardly standing next to each other.  
‘So what do we do now?’ asked Rose, watching as the two squads melted into the surrounding streets.  
‘We find somewhere to wait?’ Having the speeder made MC feel exposed, so they found somewhere to hide it in-between two apartment blocks and sat down next to it to wait for the summons from Finn.  
With the troops gone, Rose realised how quiet the streets were in light of the curfew. The skyways were empty and, except for the occasional alarm, the only sound was - surprisingly - bird song. Looking around, she could see small brown and black feathered creatures stalking across the rubbish heaps and wastelands, looking for small creatures to snack on. ‘I didn’t know wildlife could even exist on this planet.’  
‘Oh, you’ll be surprised,’ said MC, who was checking through the devices in his bag to make sure that everything was working properly. He had taken them all out and lined them up on the ground in front of him, going methodically each one. ‘Creatures can adapt to live almost everywhere. I was reading about an expedition to Mustafa, you know, the lava planet?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘Well even that’s started to regenerate itself again, now that the lava mining’s stopped. There’s plants, trees. Even birds. It’s fascinating to think that however much humans, or other species, try to destroy things, nature always bounces back.’  
‘Unless they blow the entire planet up.’  
‘Well yes, Nature needs something to work with.’ He looked at her, hearing a new note of pessimism in her voice. ‘Are you okay? You seem tense.’  
‘I wonder why.’ Rose looked away, feeling she might cry. It had been possible to manage her emotions when she had been busy, going from location to location. But now, sat around waiting, she was not only feeling tired again, it gave her a chance to think about things. Stirring her emotions.  
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, paying her more attention. ‘I’m no good in these situations.’ He took a deep breath, ‘Do you want to talk about it?’  
‘There’s not much to talk about,’ admitted Rose, watching as a bird hopped from one rubbish heap to another, its small eyes glinting in the sunlight. ‘I’m afraid.’  
‘That we’re not gonna make it?’ When Rose nodded, he reached out, tentatively, and offered her his hand. ‘Finn seems pretty confident of our chances.’  
Grateful for his support, she took his hand, although she could not look at him. ‘He’s been planning this for so long. I hope we don’t let him down.’  
‘Why would we?’ He smiled at her, seeing that she needed reassurance. ‘Finn’s confident because he knows he’s got the best team behind him. You, Jannah. Me, in my own way. I know it’s not always been easy, but we’ve got this far. The stormtroopers are realising how shit the First Order has been to them. Hux can’t hold on to power if he’s got no means of enforcing it.’ When she remained silent, he squeezed her fingers. ‘C’mon, you’re used to this by now, surely? It’s no worse than when we were here before.’  
‘But this is different.’  
‘It is?’  
‘The fate of the galaxy is riding on this!’  
Surprisingly, he laughed at her. ‘Thinking that way, it’s no wonder you’re tense! I know you like to see the bigger picture, but what about we break things down. See each step instead of the goal.’  
‘Is that how you do it?’ she asked, finally looking at him. But she almost wished she hadn’t. There was genuine concern in his brown eyes and it made her feel strange and tingly inside.  
‘Yeah,’ he replied, prepared to be completely honest with her. ‘It’s the only way I can do these things. Otherwise I’d be a wreck like you!’  
‘Thanks,’ she muttered, but she smiled inside despite herself. Sitting there with MC, she felt an undeniable tension between them, a feeling that she could only understand as attraction. Was she attracted to him? They were completely different people, with a vastly different understanding of the galaxy. At first she had disliked him, but over the months of working together she had begun to warm to him and now… well, she would have to see what happened but she liked the feel of his hand on hers. Looking at him shyly, she smiled, a real smile of warmth and friendship.  
‘That’s better,’ he said softly, his brown eyes warm and kind, ‘you’ve got a beautiful smile.’  
The comlink bleeped and Rose picked it up. ‘Finn?’  
‘We’re almost through,’ came Finn’s voice, sounding exhilarated. ‘We need you at the plaza. But be careful, it’s heavily defended.’  
‘Roger that.’  
MC was already picking up his devices and stashing them back into his bag. ‘Here we go!’  
Getting into the speeder, Rose pulled out her data-pad whilst MC got the engine started. Checking the map, she memorised the route that they would need to take. The engine purred into life and they headed towards the plaza, passing more apartments and shops as they sped along. Just before they got to the plaza, they passed evidence of a terrible shoot-out. Several dead stormtroopers lay on the ground, their armour dented and broken, alongside some of the Resistance soldiers. As they flew past, Rose recognised Thwisp amongst the bodies and she felt awful, wondering what had happened here.  
‘It seems not every stormtrooper can be convinced by the need to find their family,’ said MC sadly, steering the speeder right into another empty street. ‘I wonder why the programming is stronger with some, than others?’  
‘I don’t think we’ll ever know,’ commented Rose. ‘I guess it’s like anything, some people are more violent than others. Some people are more susceptible to brain-washing than others.’  
‘Yeah.’ He guessed it was why some people preferred the Empire to the Republic, and he felt ashamed that he had ever tried to argue that with Rose.  
As they raced along, a new noise became apparent over the hum of the engine. The sound of blaster fire being exchanged. Rose and MC looked at each other, concerned. As they got closer to the plaza, the noise became louder. There were more bodies on the ground, stormtrooper and Resistance alike. Staring at the bodies, Rose felt a pang of relief that she could not see Jannah or Finn amongst them.  
Suddenly there was the sound of a huge explosion. Beyond the immediate buildings, a huge cloud of dust arose into the sky, dark and ominous.  
‘What was that?’ asked Rose in a whisper.  
‘I don’t know but we better ditch this,’ said MC, slowing the speeder down and stopping. They were now only one block away from Monument Plaza.   
They made the last of the journey on foot, keeping in the shadow of surrounding buildings as much as possible. Sheltered, they peered out towards the end of the street, trying to see what was going on in the plaza. They could just see the Resistance team ranged along its perimeter, engaged in a vicious firefight with an army of stormtroopers that were just inside the forcefield. One of the huge, lumbering AT-M6s was indiscriminately firing at the buildings behind them, sending huge chunks of stone into the air as the laser blasted into it. Already, one of the blocks had collapsed, the cause of the dust cloud that hung over the plaza.  
‘We need to get that shield down,’ yelled MC to Rose over the noise of the battle. ‘Come on!’  
They headed down an alleyway, slightly away from the main fighting to set up the devices that would enable communication with the AT-M6 and disable the forcefield long enough to get inside it. They could still hear the thud thud of the machinery, the noise of buildings collapsing, and the pew pew of blaster fire but they were safe enough. There were no patrols in the area, suggesting that all forces were concentrated on protecting the plaza. In the shade of a doorway, MC started to unpack his devices, whilst Rose went to check the defences around the shield generator. As she peered around the side of the building, she could see there was a direct route into the plaza down a side street, albeit past the shimmering curtain of energy. At the centre of the plaza, dead ahead, a ring of stormtroopers could be seen protecting the shield generator, blasting away at their unseen foes.  
Going back to MC, Rose pulled out the comlink to get in touch with Finn. ‘Finn! Do you read me? We’re in position!’  
‘Okay!’ said Finn, straining to be heard over the noise. ‘Where are you?’  
‘Near the corner of 10-100-01.’  
‘Right, we’ll try and get them away from the generator! Be as quick as you can!’  
‘Roger that.’ Rose snapped the comlink off and looked over to where MC had finished setting up his devices, a small transmitter that should enable them to patch into the communications channel used by the AT-M6s.   
Looking up, he handed her another, smaller device. ‘This is the one you need to switch off the forcefield. See that button on the side?’  
Rose turned it over in her hands. ‘Yes.’  
‘When you’re ready to go, press that and keep pressing it until that red light there switches to green. That means that the forcefield has been disrupted for long enough to get through.’  
‘Okay.’ Rose looked at him fearfully, flinching as another huge explosion came from the direction of the plaza. ‘Where will you be?’  
‘I’ll be right behind you,’ he said gently, seeing how scared she was. ‘Or we can swap places…?’  
‘No, no, I said I’d do it. And I will.’ Swallowing her fear, Rose focused on her determination to get the job done.  
They crept around the building and into the side street, heading towards the forcefield. Trying to keep focused, Rose clutched the device in her left hand and her blaster in her right hand, holding the device so tightly she could feel it digging into her skin. As she ran, the generator came into better view, and she could see how it was surrounded by the huge AT-M6s as well as the stormtroopers.   
Panic gripped Rose as the reality of her task hit her. How was she going to make it past the stormtroopers and the war machines? It seemed impossible. But as she got closer, the stormtroopers started to leave their position by the generator, moving forwards to converge on a hidden target.   
Then she was at the edge of the buildings. The plaza in front of her. She could see that several stormtroopers had fallen, shot dead by the Resistance team on the left hand side of the plaza.  
‘They’re drawing the troops away,’ MC pointed out, his hand on her shoulder. ‘Now’s your best chance!’  
‘Wish me luck,’ she said to MC, looking up to smile at him.  
‘Good luck,’ he said, smiling back. ‘I’ll be right here, waiting for you when you get back.’  
Grasping the device firmly in her hand, Rose pressed the button firmly. Immediately the forcefield started to fizzle as the signal was interrupted, crackling and sparking until it disappeared completely. It was her cue to run.  
Keeping her eyes fixed in front of her, Rose ran as fast as she could towards the generator. From all around her came the sound of blasters firing, the heavy thud thud of the AT-M6s, stormtroopers shouting as they noticed something had happened to the forcefield, and the Resistance troops rushing forwards to make the most of the forcefield being down. Then suddenly, the world turned sideways, her body burned hot and painful and she blacked out.  
‘Rose! Rose!’  
The voice sounded far away, as if it was coming from the end of a long tunnel. Forcing her eyes open, Rose’s vision swam for a moment but, as her eyes adjusted, she saw MC looking down at her. ‘What happened?’  
‘You were shot,’ he said, regarding her tenderly. ‘Luckily you still had your finger on the button and I got you out. I’ve put some bacta on your wound but you might need…’  
‘The forcefield!’ She tried to sit up, but the pain ripped through her and she groaned.  
‘It’s back up,’ he said, helping her to sit up, ‘but I’ve got the device. Here, let me show you how to use the transmitter before I go, just in case…’  
‘MC…’  
‘I have to go,’ he insisted, ignoring all her arguments to the contrary, ‘you’re in no state to do it. And by the looks of it, not everyone got inside the plaza. We still have to bring that forcefield down.’ Grabbing the transmitter, MC put it close to her so that she could see it. ‘See this switch here? Keep toggling it until the red light here turns green. Then, as soon as that happens, turn the scope here to tune into the different channels. When you’ve found the right one, it’ll register in the display here. See?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘Then, use the comlink, here, to try and speak to the crew.’  
‘Okay.’  
‘You might need Finn or Jannah for that.’  
‘Yes.’ The pain in her side was excruciating but she tried to focus.  
Starting to get up, MC made sure that he had the right device with him. ‘I better go. Wish me luck!’  
‘Good luck,’ murmured Rose, her eyes filling with tears. ‘Oh, don’t forget these.’ Reaching into her pocket, she carefully handed him the explosives.  
‘Thanks.’ Stowing them away in his pocket, MC was about to go when he saw that Rose was trying to get up. ‘No, you stay here.’  
‘No, I’ll cover you,’ she said, breathing heavily as more pain surged through her.  
Seeing that she was determined to accompany him, MC helped her as they made their way back alongside the building, heading towards the plaza. ‘I’m sorry I was a dick to you when we first met.’ As they neared the forcefield, MC knew that an apology was long overdue.  
‘Get going, you dummy.’ For a moment she stared at him, feeling something in the air around them both, the feeling of tension but also of promise. Then she reached upwards, at the same time as he leaned forward, and their mouths met in the middle, to share a passionate kiss, born of desperation and urgency but also of hope for something more if only they could survive the dangerous situation they found themselves in.  
It was all over too quickly and, with one last look at her, MC ran towards the forcefield, Rose peering out from the shelter of a doorway to watch him as the forcefield shimmered, broke up, and then disappeared. She watched him as he ran across the plaza towards the generator, his blaster out, shooting at stormtroopers as they ran towards him, trying to stop him. They fell to the ground and all of a sudden he was at the generator.   
Using her own blaster to keep another stormtrooper away from him, Rose looked on as MC prepared the explosives, her expression changing to one of horror as one of the fallen stormtroopers suddenly hauled himself up onto his side and shot at MC, hitting him in the back.   
Immediately she raised her own blaster to take the stormtrooper down. But it was too late.  
Tears streamed down her face as MC fell to the ground. Raising his arm high, his last act was to throw the explosives towards the generator. In the next moment it exploded in a blaze of fire and smoke, throwing several stormtroopers into the air with the force of the blast, taking MC and everything around with it.  
‘Goodbye MC,’ Rose whispered, acknowledging his bravery and his courage. The forcefield was gone - but at what cost? In her pocket, the comlink started bleeping and, with difficulty, she pulled it out of her pocket. ‘Finn?’  
‘The forcefield’s down,’ he shouted over the sound of the battle, ‘well done!’  
‘It wasn’t me, it was MC,’ she said sadly. ‘I’m injured.’  
‘We’ll come and find you,’ replied Finn, ‘stay where you are.’  
Crawling back to where MC had set up the transmitter, Rose sat down against the inside of the doorway and closed her eyes, longing for the end. She must have fallen asleep because she was woken up by the sound of footsteps and opened her eyes to see Finn, closely followed by Jannah, running down the street towards her from the plaza.  
‘Rose!’ Dropping to his knees, Finn put down his blaster. ‘Where are you hurt?’  
‘My left side.’ Rose knew that she was not fully conscious, her vision was hazy. ‘MC put some bacta on it…’  
‘He did?’ Finn was reaching into his pocket, pulling out a small medical kit. ‘D’you want me to have a look?’  
‘Yes please,’ murmured Rose, trying to stay awake. ‘He didn’t have much.’  
Checking her carefully, Finn located the place where the laser blast had hit her. Whilst Jannah held her hand, Finn gently lifted away her jacket and tunic underneath so that he could cover the wound with a new, larger bacta patch, replacing the old one.   
Rose winced from the application but immediately felt soothed by the viscous fluid contained within the patch. ‘Thanks.’  
He handed her a painkiller, as well as a small tube of tonic to revive her spirits. Taking them both, Rose felt both a surge of energy, as well as pain relief. She almost felt human again.  
‘Better?’  
‘Better.’ Her breathing had improved now that the pain was lessening. ‘What’s going on in the plaza?’  
‘We’re nearly on top of it now that the forcefield’s down. Where’s MC gone?’ asked Finn. He and Jannah had been caught in a skirmish with a bunch of stormtroopers which had proved impervious to their messages about the First Order, and they had not seen what happened at the generator. ‘Is he setting up the transmitter?’  
‘He was blown up with the generator.’ Rose didn’t know how she wasn’t crying at that point but the whole sequence seemed like a bad dream. Perhaps when she woke up, MC would still be there somehow.  
‘What? Dammit,’ frowned Finn, thinking more about the next part of their plan than the loss of a human being. ‘We needed him to try and get those AT-M6s on side.’  
‘I’ve got the equipment,’ said Rose, pointing to the transmitter behind her. ‘He showed me how to use it.’  
‘He did? Good,’ Finn looked relieved. ‘Where’s LF-1977?’  
‘I’ll reach him on the comlink,’ said Jannah, pulling it out of her pocket.   
While Jannah tried to locate the former stormtrooper, Finn helped Rose to her feet. She was shaky but better than she thought she would be. ‘He died for us, you know.’  
‘Who?’  
‘MC.’  
It was then that that it hit Finn, what she was saying. He had been concentrating so hard on the plan that he had not really considered what she had meant. He could feel her pain and her sorrow keenly and he offered her his hand. ‘I’m sorry.’  
‘Me too.’ Rose sighed, ‘But he did what he needed to do.’  
Jannah turned back to them both. ‘Come on, I know where LF-1977 is.’  
Picking up the transmitter, Finn and Rose hurried after Jannah as she ran back towards the plaza. There was now a firefight going on between the Resistance squad and a group of stormtroopers guarding the entrance to the Senate building, punctuated by blasts of firepower from the AT-M6s. Keeping to the edge of the plaza, they followed Jannah around to where LF-1977 was waiting for them. As they ran, there was the whine of a missile from behind them, followed by a loud explosion as it made contact with one of the buildings, shattering its facade instantly.  
‘Watch out!’ Finn threw his arm around Rose, pulling her down to the ground as stone and glass flew all around them. Dropping the transmitter, Rose flung her arms over her head, hiding her face as bits of building rained down all around them.   
‘That was close,’ muttered Finn, getting to his knees as soon as the noise and chaos subsided. He looked over at Rose, who was picking up the transmitter. ‘Okay?’  
‘The antennae’s a bit bent, otherwise it’s fine…’  
‘I meant you, dummy,’ said Finn, risking a small smile.  
‘Oh, yeah I’m fine.’   
They crawled over to where Jannah was sheltering behind the remains of another building with a group of former stormtroopers, including LF-1977.  
‘That was close,’ said Finn. He could feel blood dripping down his face from a fresh cut where a piece of flying glass had caught him, and he reached up to wipe it on his sleeve.  
‘We thought you were goners,’ said LF-1977 grimly. He was the worse for wear, dried blood clinging to his face from a laser wound that had obliterated his eye.  
‘For a moment, I thought we were too,’ muttered Finn, making sure that Rose was safely out of harm’s way. ‘We’ve got the transmitter.’  
‘Let’s give this a go.’ With Rose’s help, LF-1977 managed to get the transmitter on-line, and they started to look for the right channel. Eventually they found one which LF-1977 felt certain was the same as the communications channel for his colleagues in the AT-M6. Picking up the comlink he shouted into it, ‘LF-4372? Can you read me?’  
‘Loud and clear!’ returned a voice, ‘What’s up?’  
‘It’s LF-1977. Look, I know this isn’t gonna be what you want to hear right now but you need to stand down. The First Order. They’ve been lying to us!’  
‘What do you mean?’  
‘We don’t have to fight for them anymore,’ LF-1977 went on, trying to make himself heard over the noise of the continuing battle. ‘They took us away from our families. Stole our identities.’  
There was silence from the other end of the comlink, then a voice asked, ‘They stole us from our families?’  
‘Yes. Then brainwashed us to thinking that we belonged to the First Order.’  
‘So what the Resistance is saying is true?’  
‘Yes. We don’t owe Hux anything. He took our lives from us.’  
There was another pause, before LF-4372 asked tremulously, ‘What can we do?’

Over on the other side of the plaza, the ex-stormtroopers who were fighting valiantly alongside the Resistance team were surprised to see one of the AT-M6s suddenly change its stance. Instead of firing on the buildings at the edges of the plaza, it slowly manoeuvred into a new position, facing the Senate building instead, and began firing on the stormtroopers protecting the front of the building, raking the ground in front of them with laser fire. One by one, the other heavy war machines followed suit until they were all facing the same way, into the plaza rather than outside it. Only one remained where it was, its guns aimed at the broken buildings on the far side. It had just started firing again when its crew cabin exploded in a mess of durasteel, glass and plastic, the ruined AT-M6 immediately collapsing to the ground.

There was still the battalion of stormtroopers outside the Senate to deal with, but with the growing force of deserters and the ring of AT-M6s disabled, Finn and his team eventually overcome their opposition and they were forced to stand down. It had been a hard slog, but they had finally taken the plaza. For a moment, Finn stood and looked at the vast city-scape that stretched out in front of him. As he, Jannah and Rose had prepared for, it was not always easy to get the stormtroopers on side, but it pained him to think that their journey to the plaza had been punctuated with so much death as well as with the rescue of many former stormtroopers. Then there was the loss of MC and Thwisp, as well as several other members of the Resistance team. Silently, he sent a prayer to the Force, to ensure that their souls would be accepted in the Netherworld. Rey had tried to explain to him that the Jedi did not see death as the end of life, but as a new beginning in the other world of the Cosmic Force. It had not entirely made sense, but he hoped for it now, for those that they had lost.  
With the doors ruined by the laser cannons of one of the AT-M6s, Finn, Jannah, Rose and the rest of their squadron entered the reception hallway of the massive Senate building, expecting to find more resistance from the First Order. However, a quick sweep of the area revealed that there was none. For the time being. The hallway was obviously grand once, but anything of value had been stripped out long ago, leaving the white walls patchy and scarred. A large staircase led upwards, with corridors leading off into other parts of the building.  
Exhausted, Finn took the time to re-group and go over their strategy with the remains of his team. They knew that somewhere in the building were an elite force of stormtroopers, most likely guarding the corridors around the Chancellor’s Office, which was linked to the Senate building on the right hand side. There were likely to be other troops patrolling the building too, although LF-1977 considered that most had been pulled out to protect the plaza.  
Feeling sure that they knew what they were doing, Finn turned to Rose. He could tell that she was barely holding it together after being shot and with the death of MC. ‘You okay to keep going?’  
‘I don’t have much choice, do I?’ she said blankly, trying to keep control of her emotions.  
‘You’ve always had a choice,’ said Finn softly, ‘and you’ve always been brave and made the right one.’ Reaching out, he took her hand. ‘You could have stood by and let the First Order take over the galaxy but you’ve always wanted to fight them. To stop their tyranny. Well, now we’ve got a chance to finally end it.’  
‘We have, haven’t we?’ Although she was exhausted and upset, Rose’s survival instinct kicked in, and she knew that she could keep going.  
‘MC didn’t die in vain,’ continued Finn, squeezing her fingers. ‘None of them have.’ Turning to the rest of his team, he looked around at each of them. There was Jannah, looking more exhausted than he’d ever seen her. LF-1977, who had lost his eye, and LF-2005, her amour smeared with blood, standing alongside the remains of the Resistance squad and their own squad of former stormtroopers. He knew he was pushing them harder than they deserved but they were so close to victory, he could taste it. ‘Across the city the tide is turning in our favour,’ he said, as everyone looked at him, knowing that what he said now would be critical. ‘This battle has been hard won. It’s already cost us lives, of our friends and of the ‘lost children.’ But we have to keep going. For peace. For the galaxy.’  
There was a murmur of support from the assembled team, and LF-2005 wiped tears away from her eyes. ‘The lost children?’  
‘Yes,’ said Finn, ‘that’s what we’re calling you lot.’  
Tenderly, LF-1977 reached out and put his arm around his comrade. ‘But not for much longer, eh?’  
Pep talk over, Finn assigned the bulk of the team to protecting the plaza, making sure that the First Order could not reclaim the advantage whilst they went after Hux. With his much smaller team secured - him, Jannah, Rose, LF-1977 and LF-2005 - Finn headed into the bowels of the Senate building.


	50. The liberation of Naboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning - several characters die in this chapter and the Falcon is stricken. The conflict on Naboo comes to a head. General Quinn arrives at Naboo on the Tanis but is immediately attacked by Ithano's fleet. Lando and the Falcon are damaged beyond repair and they are forced to make a crash landing in Theed. Prue and Cammie sacrifice themselves to take the Palace for the Resistance.

‘We’re coming up on Naboo, General.’  
‘Good.’ Up on the large platform that ran around the edges and centre of the bridge, Quinn stared out of the large windows as the mighty Star Destroyer’s engines started to whine upon exiting lightspeed, the streaks of hyperspace gradually slowing down. The massive ship heaved with the effort of re-entering normal space, before the auxiliary engines kicked back in and the Tanis recovered itself. Immediately red lights started flashing across several consoles and alarms began to sound. ‘What’s going on,’ demanded Quinn, turning away from the window momentarily to glare at the support staff below him.  
‘General, enemy ships are incoming!’  
‘What?’ He turned back to the window to be confronted with the reality that Naboo was being attacked. A ragtag fleet made up of lots of different ships was blocking the Tanis’ route towards the First Order blockade, preventing them from getting any closer to the planet. As soon as they saw the ship emerging from hyperspace, one of the a large cruisers, painted in strange and nauseating colours, turned towards it, blasting laser at its hull.  
‘Shields up,’ said the commanding officer from Exegol, Lieutenant Brocklo.   
‘Release the TIEs,’ said another, Commanding Officer Miklo.  
‘Dammit,’ said Quinn, watching as the squadron of TIEs appeared from beneath the huge ship, heading to engage with the mysterious fleet. ‘How come we weren’t told about this?’  
Beside him, Captain Dallek appeared. ‘General, we’ve calculated our chances of destroying Naboo on our current trajectory…’  
‘And?’ snapped Quinn impatiently. Beside the Tanis, another of the First Order Star Destroyers that has travelled to Exegol appeared as it left hyperspace.  
‘The Tanis cannot fire on the planet without obliterating the rest of the First Order’s forces.’  
‘Right.’ Quinn was in a quandary. Despite his ruthless manner and desire to bring down any resistance to the First Order, he could not countenance the destruction of his own subordinates. ‘Try and get hold of Hux,’ he sighed, watching as more unknown ships swarmed about the Tanis. ‘In the meantime, take down as many of these ships as we can.’  
‘Sir,’ called another aide, ‘we’ve made contact with Admiral Griss.’  
‘Good, patch him in.’  
‘Yes, General.’  
Immediately, a hologram of his fellow senior officer appeared on the bridge. ‘Good to see you General, we badly need assistance.’  
‘What’s going on here?’ asked Quinn, his concern mounting, ’Hux said nothing about an attack!’  
‘I don’t know why,’ grumbled Griss, who was starting to feel that he had been abandoned by their leader. Despite repeated attempts he had failed to get through to Coruscant. ‘We think it’s the Resistance, part of a co-ordinated attack on Coruscant and Naboo. They’ve been flooding our ships with propaganda, trying to get our personnel to put down their weapons and stop fighting for the First Order.’ Back on the Brutalist, the voice of Poe Dameron continued to speak in the background; despite his officers best efforts to block the channel, the Resistance kept finding a way to infiltrate their ships.  
‘These don’t look like Resistance ships,’ said Quinn, flinching as a TIE exploded outside the window, perilously close to one of the gun ports.  
‘They’re not,’ said Griss briskly, ‘intelligence suggests that they are a mixture of civilian and criminal ships. Mostly small time smugglers, pirates and spice runners. But we’ve also identified the Millennium Falcon, which is affiliated with the Resistance.’   
‘What’s the current situation?’  
‘We’re holding them on the ground,’ reported Griss confidently, ‘unfortunately we have lost two Star Destroyers up here but the intention of the fleet does not seem to be to obliterate our ships, merely disable them. We believe it is a distraction whilst they try to take the city.’  
‘Then we must continue to hold them off,’ agreed Quinn, feeling confident that Griss was in charge of the situation. He was one of the more seasoned officers after all. ‘Do you need reinforcements?’  
‘We could do with some more troops on the ground, if you can be sure that you can get them past the fleet.’  
‘Not at present,’ admitted Quinn, pausing to take another data-readout from one of his command team. ‘But we will try and make short work of them.’ Outside, one of the badly decorated ships exploded after an onslaught from the Tanis’ guns and Quinn began to feel more confident.  
‘Of course, General.’ There was a pause, then Griss asked a question that he was not sure he wanted the answer to, ‘When Hux sent you here, what were your orders, Quinn?’  
‘My orders?’ Quinn looked out the window again, towards the planet shining bright in the distance. A relatively peaceful planet, its people easily cowed. ‘My orders are to destroy Naboo if the situation changes in favour of the Resistance.’

In the Falcon, Lando and Chewbacca were doing their best to hold off the fire of the Star Destroyers surrounding the planet. They had seen the arrival of the Tanis, its huge guns bristling with menace, and realised that it was the same ship that had obliterated Kijimi. Whilst Sidon and some of the others had gone to meet it, Lando and Chewbacca believed it prudent to remain close to the blockade, just in case the commanders of those ships became emboldened by the appearance of reinforcements. Already, two had been disabled by the continual onslaught but Lando was privately pessimistic about their chances of survival.   
‘We have to keep that Star Destroyer from firing on the planet,’ said Lando to Sidon as the battle continued outside.  
‘Roger that,’ returned Sidon, his freighter making another daring manoeuvre to avoid several TIE fighters on his tail. ‘What’s happening on the ground?’  
‘Prue’s nearly reached the centre of Theed,’ explained Lando, feeling no sense of satisfaction as another TIE exploded outside the Falcon’s cockpit, ‘she’s working on getting into the palace with the Queen, whilst a second force will try and take the plaza.’  
‘I wish they’d hurry up,’ said Sidon over the communicator, ‘I don’t know how much longer we’ll last against the might of the First Order. Especially with this new ship. Have you seen the size of its main guns?’  
‘Prue’s doing her best,’ said Lando, ‘but I know what you mean. We need to keep the momentum going.’  
Beside him, Chewie growled in concern, seeing an opening. One of the Star Destroyers had lost its shields, and was swarming with smaller fighters, attempting to disable its guns.  
‘We could do with a little help here,’ came the voice of Jann Holo over the communications channel, a friend of the Lumini pirates.   
‘Then let’s go and help them,’ agreed Lando, manoeuvring the Falcon into a steep dive that took it across the surface of the larger ship. Heading towards one of the larger cannons they fired on it, watching as it was destroyed. Lando was about to say something to Chewie when a red light started flashing on the console. ‘Enemy ships, where?’ He looked outside the window but couldn’t see anything.  
Then Chewie worked out where they were, three of them, on their tail. They had been lying in wait for the larger ship and were now making their attack.  
‘Dammit, we need to get them away from the back shields,’ muttered Lando, knowing that these were already critical. He flinched as blossoms of red laser exploded outside the cockpit window, buffeting the freighter. ‘Chewie?’  
Chewie roared in concern, he was already throwing all power towards the back shields.  
‘Right,’ Lando pushed the levers into yet another seemingly impossible direction, the surface of the wounded Star Destroyer getting closer and closer until he pulled up just in time, then sending the ship into a dizzying turn that caused two of the ships on their tail to crash into the larger ship. But there was more trouble as yet another squadron of TIEs appeared in front of them to replace their lost colleagues. Although Chewie and Lando pushed the engines to maximum capacity, it was hard to shake the fighters off their tail, and between them, the TIEs threw enough firepower at the Falcon to bring up several more red lights on the console.  
‘Now what?’ sighed Lando, seeing that the situation was reaching critical. The hyperdrive motivator was damaged. Several systems were rapidly losing power, and one of the fuel lines was leaking. ‘We’re not going to last out here much longer.’  
In dismay, Chewie concurred. They needed to leave the battle otherwise they would not have a ship left.  
‘Sorry Sidon,’ as the Falcon peeled away from the thick of the fighting, knowing that they were still needed. But with most of the instruments showing major damage, Lando was beginning to wonder if they would make it at all.  
‘Get to safety,’ came Sidon’s voice over the speakers, ‘we’ll hold the situation up here.’  
‘But where’s safe?’ pondered Lando, considering the circumstances. The freighter was reacting poorly to his commands now, acting slow and sluggish, losing the suppleness that made it such a formidable fighter. ‘Come on baby, hold together,’ he pleaded with the ship, looking around the cockpit fondly. The Falcon had always been pushed harder than any ship he’d ever known and it had never failed him, or Han. But this time seemed different, almost as if the ship was finally giving up. Telling him, no, that’s enough.  
They were already on the opposite side of the blockade, Chewie suggesting that they made their way down to the surface of Naboo and take their chances there.  
‘That’s all we can do,’ agreed Lando, the ship whining and complaining about their attempts to change its course. The only way was down. ’We’ll have to see what we can salvage of this baby once we’ve landed.’

On the ground, Prue and Cammie, along with the Queen and her security guards, and their makeshift attack force, had reached the end of the tunnel that connected to the royal palace. A second, larger squad, led by Deesel, were converging on the plaza at the same time, working their way through the many patrols that were protecting the centre of the city using a mixture of pleading, persuasion and inspiring speeches, as well as brute force when all other attempts failed. Their numbers had continued to swell, and now they represented a formidable army of former stormtroopers. But Cammie and Prue, who were keeping in constant contact with Deesel, knew that the hardest part of their planned attack was ahead of them. The strategy was two-fold - Cammie and Prue would break into the palace from the tunnels and take it back in the name of the Queen, whilst Deesel and his force would try to break through the ring of war machines that had been installed around the palace. There were other obstacles too. Several stormtroopers were manning mobile laser cannons, which had been dragged into place in front of the palace and positioned at various intervals throughout the inner courtyard. Other troops had been stationed at key windows throughout the palace, acting as snipers for any unlucky soldiers that came into their sights. Already, Prue had found this to her cost, nearly losing her arm as she came out of the tunnel into the courtyard, just leaping back in time to avoid a horrific injury.  
‘We need to take those guns,’ said Cammie as they surveyed the courtyard in-between returning fire with the various stormtroopers stationed about the palace.  
‘I agree.’ Suddenly the com link started to flash, and Prue switched it on. ‘Deesel?’  
‘We’ve got to the plaza,’ he said, shouting over the noise of the battle raging around him. ‘This is not gonna be easy!’  
‘Okay, just hold on,’ said Prue, flinching as another laser blast narrowly missed Cammie’s head. ‘We’re gonna try and take the guns inside the palace. We might be able to use them against the war machines.’  
‘It’s the only thing strong enough to break through their armour,’ agreed Deesel, ‘okay we’ll try and do the same in the plaza.’  
‘Roger that,’ said Prue, turning the com link off. Looking at Cammie, who was restlessly watching the courtyard, she said, ‘Deesel’s gonna try and get the guns in the plaza. Use them to attack the ATs.’  
‘Good.’ Hidden behind one of the archways, Cammie started to look for weak points in the defence where they could break through the stormtrooper units positioned throughout and take over one of the guns.  
Meanwhile in the plaza, Deesel was waiting for a similar breakthrough as he and his army battled against the might of the AT-M6s and mobile cannons that protected it. Made up largely of deserters, along with some Naboo citizens who were angry enough to fight, his forces were ranged along the fringes of the plaza, trying to appeal to the stormtroopers protecting it, as well as defending themselves from their vicious attacks.   
‘Have you got through yet?’ Deesel looked over to where Messandra was trying to make contact with one of the crews of the AT-M6s surrounding the palace, using a badly made transmitter and comlink adaptation.  
‘Nearly.’ Holding a pair of headphones to her ear, trying to phase out the surrounding noise of the battle, Messandra watched as the needle on the scanner swooped and fell, responding to her attempts to find a decent channel. Suddenly, a green light started flashing, ‘I’ve got it!’  
Messandra’s valiant attempts to hack into their communications was rewarded when she got in contact with one of the AT-M6 crews. After several minutes of intense negotiation, she and Deesel managed to convince them to turn away from the First Order. Rebellion was catching and soon, after several back and forth conversations between the crews of the AT-M6s, two more of the machines declared their neutrality. Unfortunately, it also provoked a fierce firefight with those that remained loyal, their lasers pounding the newly restored buildings as well as the neutral walkers as they fought for dominance.  
‘We need more support!’ As the remaining walkers devastated the plaza, Dessel was speaking to Prue over the comlink, struggling to hear over the noise of the battle as he sheltered behind a fallen AT-M6, its armour plating providing useful shielding. The plaza was filled with dust and smoke, making it difficult to see what was going on. Through the smoke could be glimpsed, at various intervals, several former stormtroopers trying to draw out their colleagues that were protecting the palace. ‘We’ve neutralised three of the machines but the others are still firing on them and us!’  
‘Shit!’ Beside him, Messandra flinched as a missile went flying over their heads, and straight into one of the buildings far behind them, blowing it up immediately.  
‘What about the fleet?’ asked Prue over the comlink, ‘they’ve got enough firepower to plough down those monsters!’  
‘Okay!’ returned Deesel, flinching as yet another missile exploded close to their position. ‘Who should I try?’   
‘I’ll get in touch with Lando.’ Over in the palace courtyard, Prue was trying to juggle talking to Deesel whilst defend their position, and she could see that Cammie was getting more and more annoyed with the distraction. ‘He might be able to send someone.’   
‘Alright, but be quick! There won’t be much of a plaza left!’  
Switching the channel, she tried to reach the Falcon. ‘Lando? Lando? Can you read me?’   
‘Loud and clear, kid,’ came Lando’s voice, smooth and calm as always. ‘Where are you?’  
‘Inside the palace,’ Prue started to say, before breaking off to shoot down a trooper that had revealed too much of their position.  
‘Good. We’re coming down to you!’  
‘Oh,’ said Prue in surprise, ‘how did you know we needed the fleet?’  
‘Not by choice,’ added Lando quickly, ‘but you need air support?’  
‘If we can,’ she said, wincing as a missile came flying over into the palace courtyard, slamming into the facade of the hangar bay and shattering it into pieces. ‘We’re so close to taking the plaza but Deesel needs more support to take down the remaining AT-M6s!’  
‘I’ll see what support we can muster,’ agreed Lando, ‘over and out.’  
Switching channels, Prue got back in touch with Deesel, ‘Lando’s on his way!’  
‘Great.’ Until the fleet appeared, there was little they could feasibly do. The noise was too loud to try persuasion tactics on the First Order forces, the firepower too ferocious to fight back. Deesel concentrated on taking potshots at the remaining stormtroopers protecting the cannons, his blaster largely ineffective against the AT-M6s. The tension inside the plaza was unbearable but despite the continued dominance of the First Order forces, the Resistance supporters were holding their own.  
In the courtyard, Prue and Cammie had made their way over to a new, better protected position, directly in line with the entrance gates to the palace. These were protected by guns inside and out, locked tight against the commotion in the plaza. Smoke drifted across from the fierce fighting outside, but visibility was generally good. Looking behind her, Prue signalled to the Queen to stay where she was for the time being until she and Cammie had worked out how to take charge of the guns.  
‘Have you got the explosives?’ asked Prue, watching as several squads of stormtroopers ran into the courtyard from elsewhere inside the palace. They were lining up in front of the huge gates, ready to join the melee outside.  
‘I have. But there’s no way we’ll reach the guns with them from here,’ Cammie muttered, wondering what Prue was planning.  
There was a creaking and a squeaking as the great gates opened automatically, controlled from somewhere inside the sprawling palace.  
Hearing a noise overhead, Cammie looked upwards to see several fighters swooping down towards the plaza, at their centre, a larger ship. ‘Look!’  
‘It’s the Falcon! Good old, Lando,’ said Prue admiringly, watching as the fighters swooped low to engage the AT-M6s.   
Outside in the plaza, the fighters attacked the lumbering giants. Their shielding was strong but already Deesel could see another use for the fighters. It provided an effective distraction away from the AT-M6’s protection of the palace. Already, several of the war machines had changed their position in response to the arrival of the fleet, leaving the opening gates protected by the guns outside and inside, and the reinforcements that were already streaming out into the plaza.  
Over the comlink, Prue exhorted Deesel to make it to the palace entrance whilst the AT-M6s were otherwise occupied. ‘Now is the time. We have to bring down those machines,’ she said, ‘and the only way we can do that is to seize those guns! We’ll take the ones inside the palace, you go for the ones in the plaza!’  
‘Roger that,’ said Deesel, signalling to his team that was ranged around the edges of the plaza. ‘We’re with you all the way.’  
Inside the courtyard, Cammie saw that most of the stormtroopers had headed out into the plaza, leaving only a small squad in the vicinity of the cannons. ‘Come on,’ she said to Prue, ’the way’s clear.’  
With blasters at the ready, Cammie and Prue left the safety of their vantage point, running towards the cannon as fast as they could, the Queen watching nervously from behind them. But they had not gone far when they saw that they had miscalculated the number of remaining troops. There were several more hidden behind the cannon, which they had not seen from their previous vantage point. Prue was slightly in front of Cammie when she was hit by the blaster fire, immediately collapsing to the ground, blood streaming from her forehead.  
‘Prue!’ Cammie screamed, flinging herself to the ground and crawling over to where her friend and lover lay on the ground. But it was too late. She was dead.  
Blaster fire exploded all around her, and Cammie did the only thing that she could do. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the explosives. Pressing down both charges, she ran straight at the stormtroopers surrounding the cannon. Several laser blasts hit her as she ran but she ignored the pain, telling herself that it would all end soon. Just as the explosives bleeped, she launched herself forwards, crying out, ‘For Prue!’  
The stormtroopers didn’t know that hit them. As the explosives went off, they, Cammie and the cannon were thrown high into the air, the explosives shattering the windows of the palace on this side of the courtyard as well as damaging the gates, keeping them stuck in the open position.   
Hidden towards the rear of the courtyard, the Queen stared in shock at Prue and Cammie’s sacrifice.  
‘Your Majesty,’ said Captain Panako, his hand on her shoulder. ‘It’s up to us now. We can retake the palace.’  
‘Yes,’ she said confidently, mustering her pride and her energy. Turning to the deserters that made up her army, she shouted, ‘Ready your weapons! We’re taking back the palace!’ As the troops behind her roared their approval, the Queen and her security guards ran towards the palace entrance.   
Meanwhile, Lando had got caught up in the battle with the AT-M6s, which was not his intention. The Falcon itself was in free-fall, slowly giving up the ghost. Most of the shields were down, and all of the systems were compromised in some way. He and Chewie were largely flying on instinct.  
‘This could be the end, you know,’ said Lando calmly to Chewbacca, taking a moment to glance fondly at his friend and co-pilot.  
Chewbacca only nodded. In his long life, he had been in danger many times. But this felt different, death felt imminent. Another red light lit up the console and Chewbacca sighed, knowing it was more than a serious fault this time.  
‘If this is the end, then it’s only right we take one of them out with us? Right old buddy?’ Lando faced death as he faced all such moments in his life, with stoic indifference. He had fought for many things; for the Rebellion, for his daughter, and for his friends. He had enjoyed a long life, and had many interesting adventures. If it was time to go, then he would accept it.  
Chewbacca growled his assent as more bursts of laser surrounded the cockpit window.  
With the final throes of their stricken ship, Lando forced it into a steep dive, heading towards the last remaining enemy AT-M6, the one that was still causing the most damage to their forces. ‘Goodbye old friend.’ Lando didn’t know whether he was talking to the ship or to the Wookie, but he meant it. Pushing the levers forward, he watched impassive as the damaged freighter ploughed straight into the command cockpit of the AT-M6, sparking and exploding on impact. Then he blacked out.


	51. From Endor to Kashyyyk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben find themselves stuck in two battle zones, first in Endor with the Empire and secondly on Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars. They are beginning to realise that the Shadow is trying to wear them down, putting them into situations where they are forced to make questionable decisions. Rey begins to understand that being impulsive is not always helpful but then Ben has a change of heart when he sees the results of her decision.

‘Rey, Rey!’  
Eyes closed, she could feel someone shaking her. She wanted to tell them to go away, couldn’t they see that she was sleeping? But whoever it was would not stop. Grumpily, she opened her eyes, ‘What is it?’  
‘You need to get up.’ Ben’s voice was full of urgency.  
Feeling groggy, Rey sat up. It was dark, the moons above casting an eerie pale light onto the trees surrounding them.  
‘You wanted me to wake you when something exciting happened,’ he said grimly. ‘Well, it is.’  
‘I did?’  
‘Yes!’ he said in exasperation, helping her to put her belt back on. ‘Come on, we have to go.’  
‘You told me to sleep,’ grumbled Rey as he pulled her to her feet. As her eyes and ears adjusted to the world around her, she began to hear a peculiar sound coming from the trees behind them. An ominous thud, thud, thud. And around her she could hear the anxious cries of animals and birds, signalling the approach of something large and terrifying. ‘What’s that?’  
Putting his arm around her, he started to propel her towards another part of the forest. One that he hoped would be out of the way of the coming menace. ‘AT-ATs,’ he explained hurriedly as they ran through the undergrowth, ‘Imperial walkers.’ When she continued to look confused he tried again, ‘Those big things with four legs and lots of guns. You used to live in one!’  
Hearing this, she started to make sense of where they had ended up. Dense forest, furry creatures, Imperial forces. ‘We’re on Endor?’  
‘Yes.’ She wasn’t moving fast enough for his liking and he chivvied her along; ‘Come on, sweetheart, they’ll trample us if we don’t get out of their way!’  
Ben and Rey made it to the dense line of trees just in time, flinging themselves to the ground as the first of the war machines came into view, their lights blinding in the darkness. The Imperial army was a formidable sight; two AT-ATs flanked by many more of the smaller, but no less deadly, AT-STs, and a significant number of stormtroopers marching behind the vehicles. These plunged through the forest, paying no heed to the trees, to foliage or its native inhabitants, smashing through whatever stood in their way.  
Rey watched the trail of destruction with mounting horror. ‘What can we do?’  
‘Track them… for now,’ said Ben, thinking realistically. He looked at her anxiously, ‘How are you feeling?’  
‘Fine.’ It was a lie, and she knew that he would see through it, but she didn’t want him to worry about her. To appease him, she leaned forward and deposited a quick, soft kiss on his lips.  
‘Come on.’ Despite the danger they were in, sharing it with Rey made it much more bearable.  
Following Ben, Rey forced herself into a jog as they silently tracked the Imperial army from a safe distance. The pain in her arm was making itself felt and, if she was honest, she could have done with more sleep. She felt raw, as if her body was still processing what had happened to her. Tapping into the Force, she focused on the pain, soothing it, containing it.   
The Imperial forces reached their destination just as the pale morning light flooded through the forest, a relatively small, insignificant grey building that Ben explained to Rey was the shield generator for the second Death Star. They hid themselves in a large clump of foliage to the right of the bunker, keeping as low a profile as possible in order to avoid detection. Yet, the shield generator itself was poorly defended. Despite the size of the Imperial forces, these had not stayed in plain sight but had melted into the trees. It was obvious that a trap was being prepared.  
‘Who’s the bait?’ wondered Rey, peering through the leaves at a group of stormtroopers milling around the open blast doors.  
‘The Rebels.’ Ben remembered his father telling him stories about how he and Leia had led the small team that captured the shield generator during the battle for Endor, a decisive moment that had enabled Lando to lead the fleet into the depths of the space station. Such stories had thrilled him as a child but now he was actually present within those events, he realised the terrible danger that his parents had been in. Was that the point that the Shadow was trying to make? That he had been overly keen to reject his heritage without really knowing the sacrifices that his family had made? For the galaxy - as well as for him. He had been born on the day that the Concordance had been signed to signal the end of the Galactic Civil War, a symbol of hope…  
‘Ben?’   
Rey’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. She was looking at him with concern.  
‘It’s making you think about the past again, isn’t it?’ She realised why he had been so insistent on destroying it, because otherwise he was drowning in it.  
He nodded and returned to watching the activity around the bunker, knowing he had to keep focused on the present. Something was happening outside of the notice of the stormtroopers. A small furry creature had sneaked down from the ridge above the clearing and was starting to interfere with the speeder bikes that were parked in front of the shield generator.  
‘Look!’ Rey noticed it too. ‘That’s the creature I saw.’  
Ben realised that the creature was not acting alone. He could sense the presence of his parents high up in the trees on the ridge. ‘There!’ He pointed out to Rey a slight movement, a glimpse of gold plating.  
‘That’s Threepio!’ The thought of the fussy droid in the forest was too funny.  
In front of them, the Ewok had finally managed to find the switch that sent the speeder bike hurtling into the trees, alerting the stormtroopers to its presence. Annoyed, they leapt onto the remaining bikes and disappeared after it, leaving the shield generator apparently unguarded.  
‘We have to warn them it’s a trap,’ said Rey. There was no doubt that the Rebels would seek to capitalise on the apparent vulnerability of the building.  
‘We can’t.’ Although Ben wanted nothing more than to help his parents, he knew that to interfere now would potentially lead them to fall foul of the Empire’s plans.  
‘Ben…!’  
‘We wait.’ He looked at her in exasperation. ‘If they see us…it could change what needs to happen.’ He didn’t know what the result would be of interfering with past events, but he couldn’t imagine it would be good. Already they had interfered too much for his liking.  
Annoyed, Rey turned away from him to watch the quiet clearing below. But as she cooled down, she reluctantly agreed that Ben was right. Perhaps that was what the Shadow wanted, for them to make a mistake, to become too involved. Instead, she watched silently as the Rebel’s plan was put into action and a small squad of Rebel soldiers appeared on their side of the bunker. It was frustrating to think that the Empire was tricking them, allowing them to think that they had a chance.  
They kept watching. Han Solo sneaked down towards the shield generator from the ridge above, running behind the stormtrooper guarding the bunker and tapping him on the shoulder.   
‘Hey!’ Seeing him, the stormtrooper chased him round the side of the bunker, only to be confronted by the rest of the Rebel forces.   
Turning to say something, Ben saw Rey smiling at his father’s plan. He could see the admiration that she felt for him. It provoked strong feelings of regret, of guilt.  
‘In a lot of ways, you’re very much like him,’ whispered Rey, as the Rebels returned to the front of the building.  
Ben sighed. ‘Everyone says that.’ To the point where they hardly saw him, they only saw his infamous father.  
‘It’s not a bad thing,’ she frowned, ‘is it?’  
‘Can we talk about this later?’ he said irritably. Trying to escape the legacy of his family had consumed rather a lot of his fragile ego and although he was starting to accept it, he didn’t want it to be his focus. The rest of his father’s team, including Leia, had made their way down to the clearing and were beginning their preparations to capture the shield generator. He needed to concentrate.  
‘Sure.’ It had been a throwaway comment, but Rey had not been prepared for how prickly he could still be about his family.  
He sensed her disappointment and he knew he had said something wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time, ‘Rey…’  
‘It’s fine, really.’ Rey returned her attention to the activity in the clearing, watching as Leia entered the bunker confidently with Han, disappearing into the darkness of the interior. Who knew what was waiting for them inside? ‘I wish I had their courage.’  
‘What makes you think you don’t?’ He was surprised by her comment. From the first time he had met her, she had impressed him with her bravery and tenacity in the face of danger. She had stood up to his mind probe and fought him bravely. She had overcome Luke’s hostility on Ahch-To, shipped herself off into the heart of the First Order’s fleet in order to convince him to turn back to the light, and stood up to Snoke when he had attacked and abused her. She had survived as a child in the harsh conditions of Naboo, where she had been sold by her parents, treated little better than a slave by Unkar Plutt, and been forced to fight off others who sought to harm her. And that was only what he personally knew about.  
‘It was all instinct,’ she said modestly, ‘what seemed right at the time. I’ve never had a plan…’  
‘Who does?’ Impulsive behaviour ran strong in his family, albeit with mixed results. ‘Sometimes our best moments come from doing what we think is right…’  
‘Except when we’re being influenced by the darkness.’ Some of her most inspired thoughts had come from trusting the Force to guide her, but that had all gone topsy-turvy when the dark side had reached out to her.  
‘I was just about to say that,’ murmured Ben, but his mind was already elsewhere.  
Seeing that Ben’s attention had gone back to watching the bunker, she tried to take an interest but there wasn’t much happening and her mind began to wander. For a while she thought about the Resistance, wondering if they were having much success against the First Order. Then, Ben coughed and she thought something was happening but it turned out to be a false alarm. Bored, she studied Ben’s face as he watched the clearing intently for any sign of movement or slight change in the dynamics. A small crease had appeared in his forehead and his dark eyes roved around restlessly. The intensity of his expression made her heartbeat quicken. Every so often she could see that his eyes strayed back towards her, and she knew that he desired her as much as she desired him. Her thoughts drifted back to when they had kissed and how amazing it had felt to finally give into her need for him.  
Ben looked at her, trying to keep a straight face. ‘Now is not a good time.’  
‘I know,’ she shrugged, ‘but there’s never a good time.’ Usually something, or someone, was trying to kill them or break them apart.  
‘True.’ He smiled, relieving some of the tension he felt. Reaching out for her hand, he added more softly, ’But now is a particularly bad time.’  
She realised what he meant for the atmosphere in the clearing was changing. The Imperial forces had been closing in around the bunker, preparing to spring the trap, and now they were openly taking over the clearing. In response, Ben and Rey hunkered down deeper into the foliage, watching as a squad of stormtroopers were sent into the bunker by one of the officers.  
‘Oh no.’ Rey knew what was coming next.  
The stormtroopers came out with their captives. Han, Leia and the rest of their team, disappointment etched onto their faces. Their plan had failed. Held at gunpoint, Han, Leia and Chewie were herded into the clearing, their hands on their heads.   
Rey silently cursed the Shadow. Clearly it was taunting them by making them watch events unfurl without providing any outlet to make a difference. Was that its plan - to wear them down by making them experience the same traumas that had affected their families and mentors?  
Across from the other side of the clearing, a familiar voice rang out. ‘Hello! I say, over there! Were you looking for me?’  
As the Rebels and Imperial officers turned towards the owner of the voice, a fussy golden droid could be seen disappearing back behind one of the giant trees.   
Rey felt vindicated. ‘I knew Threepio would be useful.’  
‘There’s always a first time.’  
A squad of stormtroopers were sent to capture the droid but when they did not return, visible concern rippled through the Imperial forces. Then, strange sounding horns blared out around the clearing, the signal for a whole army of furry creatures to appear, their makeshift weapons at the ready.  
‘What?’ Rey was surprised and impressed at the same time as the Ewoks rose up against the Imperials. Seeing the might of the Empire being brought down by the vulnerable-looking creatures gave her renewed hope for the fight against the First Order.  
The clearing was soon a scene of chaos and confusion, the Imperial forces uncertain how to respond to the attack by the planet’s natives. With Han and Leia fighting their way back over to the bunker, Rey and Ben immediately saw a chance to contribute to the melee, drawing their blasters and taking shots at any Imperial troops and officers that came into range. But their position was becoming more and more precarious as the battle spread across the clearing.  
‘We need to get out of here,’ yelped Ben as a stray shot ricocheted off one of the trees behind them, missing Rey’s head by inches.  
‘I can’t argue with that,’ agreed Rey, staring at where the laser bolt had singed the ground. On her hands and knees, she followed Ben through the dense undergrowth only to find herself in yet another war zone, this time on the fringes of a beach covered with enormous trees, and surrounded by foliage covered mountains. Behind them, huge many-legged machines with domed heads, supported by an immense force of battle droids riding wheeled cannons, emerged from the sea, blasting away at a force of green and white-clad soldiers and an army of Wookies that were heading down the beach to engage them. The sky filled with explosions as huge, wood and metal fighters piloted by the Wookies battled it out with a vast array of droid-piloted ships. The fighting was fierce and Rey could hardly see their surroundings for all the smoke and laser fire. Alarmed, she crawled over to where Ben was sheltering behind a group of rocks, wincing as a missile exploded nearby, covering them both in a thick cloud of smoke. The noise was deafening, and she reached out to Ben through the Force, What are we doing?  
We need to get over there. Ben indicated that they should head for the cliffs at the far side of the beach, to take advantage of the natural features there that offered much better protection than anything much closer to them.  
As the smoke cleared, Rey looked over but saw nothing but droids and Wookies blasting away at each other in-between. Can we make it?  
We have to try. Come on.  
They ran across the beach, dodging fire, droids and explosions. As another huge explosion rocked the beach, Ben called a halt behind a large tree, its sinewy roots grasping deep into the sand.  
Where are we? Rey took out her blaster, although she was not sure whom she was supposed to be fighting for. There were three forces ranged out along the beach; the droid army, the Wookies and what appeared to be stormtroopers, although their uniform was different to anything she had seen before.  
Kashyyyk.  
Who are we fighting?  
The Separatists. Ben shot down a couple of droids that had appeared in their way, brandishing large blasters. ‘Come on,’ he said out loud to Rey, who was staring at the remains of their adversaries on the beach, seeing another clear path open up through the melee.  
The who? Running after Ben, Rey could not understand why the droids had crumpled so easily. They did not seem particularly effective as a military force.  
Systems that left the Republic during the Clone Wars. Ben stopped abruptly as another missile exploded a couple of feet in front of them, engulfing its surroundings in thick, toxic smoke. Quickly, he covered his mouth with his arm, motioning for Rey to do the same. But it was too late and she was slow to follow him, the smoke stinging her eyes and nose. Seeing that she was in trouble, Ben put his arm around her and, urging her onwards, made another run for it, using one of the wheeled cannons as a cover until they could reach another clump of rocks.  
‘Are you okay?’ he asked as they crouched down, Rey coughing violently as her lungs tried to expel the acrid smoke that had irritated them.  
‘I think so,’ she said eventually, once she was able to breathe a bit better. Her focus returned to the battle. ‘Who are the stormtroopers with?’  
Ben shrugged as if it was obvious, ‘They’re not stormtroopers.’  
‘What?’  
‘They’re the Republic’s forces.’ He started blasting away at a squadron of droids that were blocking their route towards the cliffs, Rey also taking pot-shots at them with her blaster.  
A missile exploded unexpectedly in front of them, throwing sand, and droids, high into the air. Suddenly the way was clear. Together, they raced towards the cliffs where piles of rocks had been dislodged during the battle, affording them some protection from the onslaught and a chance to regroup and consider their strategy. For, Rey reflected after collapsing on the sand beside Ben, there had been no time to think ever since they had been dumped into the battle. Now she could have a proper look at where they were, and what was happening.   
They were at the edge of a large, natural cove, surrounded by a range of impressive mountains that marched inland for many miles, covered in dense forests. Growing in and around the beach were huge, ancient-looking trees, even taller, she guessed, than those she had seen on Endor. The trees were inhabited, adapted for living she assumed by the Wookies with cleverly constructed huts designed to be a natural extension of the tree. Before the battle, the beach must have been a tranquil, beautiful spot; now it was ruined by the noise and smoke, its sand gouged out with massive craters, its cliffs smashed by cannons.  
She turned to Ben, who was watching the battle keenly. ‘What’s going on here?’  
‘Kashyyyk was one of the decisive battles of the Clone Wars,’ said Ben, watching the action unfold with awe. He knew lots about the war from his reading, but it felt strange to see it for real. To be involved in it. He indicated to Rey the command centre perched high up in one of the trees, pointing out the diminutive Jedi Master who was standing to the front of it. ‘That’s Master Yoda, the most wisest and powerful Jedi that ever lived according to Luke.’  
‘He’s in charge here?’ Rey was surprised to see that the most powerful Jedi was a small green creature of unknown species. She had never seen anything like him before.  
‘Yes,’ Ben smiled, she sure was asking a lot of questions. ‘He commanded the battle for the Republic.’  
The names sounded familiar. Rey knew a little about the battles between the Republic and the Separatists, having picked up bits and pieces from travellers visiting Jakku. She was about to ask him another question when a droid holding a rifle suddenly towered above them.   
‘Get up!’  
Stay there.   
Standing up, Ben neatly sliced the droid’s head from its body with his lightsaber before it realised what was happening. The remains of the droid fizzled and hissed, before collapsing onto the sand.  
‘Nicely done,’ commented Rey, as Ben crouched back down beside her. ‘Who thought that droids would make an effective army?’  
‘They might not be that effective but it’s easy to churn them out,’ said Ben, deciding that it was time to move on. ‘We need a better hiding place.’  
Rey looked up at the cliffs, ‘How about up there?’ Underneath the thick foliage, the cliffs were jagged and crumbling but would be relatively simple to climb. Well, for her anyway. She wasn’t sure about Ben’s ability.  
Neither was he. ‘It’s a long way up.’  
‘Yes, but there’s plenty of hand and foot holds.’ She pointed out to him an accessible route, zig-zagging up the cliff face through a narrow crevasse.  
Ben looked dubious, ‘If they see us, we’ll be easy targets.’  
‘The sides of the crevasse should protect us,’ Rey reassured him.  
‘Okay,’ taking several deep breaths to calm himself, Ben decided to trust her judgement. Seeing a lull in the fighting closest to them, they got up and ran over to the cliffs that Rey had pointed out. Seeing the route up close, however, only made Ben feel more anxious. Despite his height and strength, he did not feel equipped for climbing.  
‘You go first,’ Rey insisted, ‘then I can help you. Oh, and don’t look down.’  
‘Why?’  
‘Trust me, you’ll feel worse if you do.’  
Hardly reassured, Ben took a deep breath and examined the cliff face to see where he should start. Looking at it closely, all he saw was layers of tightly packed sediment, formed over millions of years, rather than the hand and foot holds that Rey had mentioned. But she patiently pointed them out to him, all the time aware that they were visible to enemy droids, and he started to climb, painfully slowly, up the cliff. Once he had progressed far enough, Rey started to climb up behind him, taking a slightly different route so that she could catch up with him. Although the crevasse was narrow, they was plenty of room for the two of them to climb up, side by side. Already Ben was flailing but with Rey’s support and encouragement, he eventually made it to the top of the cliff face. After pulling themselves up, they rested for a moment, out of breath from their exertions.  
But it was not the safe haven that Rey intended. A squad of battle droids - lying in wait to ambush any unfortunate Republic troops or Wookies that made it this far - spotted them.  
‘Hands up!’ squeaked one of the droids, shoving a large blaster in their faces.  
Keep it talking. Unable to reach his blaster or his lightsaber, Ben was thinking on his feet.  
How?  
I don’t know, anything!  
‘We’re not with the Republic,’ said Rey softly, yet firmly, raising her hands.  
‘What?’ The droids looked at her in confusion.  
‘We’re not with the Republic,’ repeated Rey, realising that the droids had been designed with firepower, rather than intelligence, in mind. ‘We’re not your enemy.’  
‘You’re not our enemy,’ said the droid. As it reached the logical conclusion of its thoughts, it lowered its weapon. The other droids lowered their weapons too.  
‘You can let us go,’ continued Rey, pleased that the ruse had worked.  
‘You can go,’ the droid repeated cheerfully, ‘have a nice day.’  
Well done.  
With their lightsabers, Ben and Rey made light work of the battle droids, and it was not long before their parts were scattered far and wide across the cliff-top.  
‘We’re safe,’ said Rey, returning her lightsaber to her belt, looking to see where they could shelter in case of any more nasty surprises.  
‘Yeah, for the moment.’ As ever, Ben was much more pessimistic about their chances. But he agreed with Rey that their best bet was to make use of a large tree that was growing right at the edge of the cliff, jutting out over the beach below. It was the perfect place to hide from the battle and soon the two of them were nestled securely in its branches, hidden by the thick leaf cover. From her vantage point, with her back to the central trunk, her legs hanging down either side of a sturdy branch, Rey could see the scope of the battle more clearly. It was awe-inspiring to see the Wookies, proud warriors with their colossal war machines, albeit machines that were eerily similar to those used by the Empire on Endor. It still confused her.  
‘Why do the Republic forces look like stormtroopers?’ she asked Ben, who was further along the same branch, lying on his stomach so he could look down onto the battle below.  
‘The Republic turned into the Empire after the Clone Wars ended,’ he said vaguely, trying to concentrate, ‘They kept the same army.’  
‘Why?’  
‘Why what?’  
‘Why did the Republic turn into the Empire?’  
‘It was corrupt,’ said Ben, trying to remember the critical events that led to the formation of the Galactic Empire. ‘Systems were leaving, and the war destroyed any strength the Republic once had. Then the Jedi tried to kill Chancellor Palpatine, and he formed the Empire to ensure peace after the war ended.’  
‘What?’ That was new to Rey. She knew about the events that had led to the fall of the Empire, but not the fall of the Republic. ‘The Jedi tried to kill Palpatine?’  
‘That’s what the history books say,’ Ben shrugged, ‘But Luke thought differently. He said the Jedi knew Palpatine was Darth Sidious and he murdered them.’ Snoke had further muddled things in his mind, claiming that it was Anakin Skywalker who had saved Sidious from the rebellious Jedi, leading to him pledge his loyalty to the Sith as Darth Vader.  
‘What’s the point of history if it doesn’t tell the truth?’ frowned Rey, thinking that for all Ben’s learning, if even he was not sure about the machinations that led to the collapse of the Republic it was little wonder that the First Order had managed to convince so many systems that its replacement was even weaker.  
‘Now you’re sounding like me.’ Looking back, he grinned at her.  
When Ben returned to his observation of the battle, Rey’s attention went back over to the mountains. They were majestic, a stunning backdrop to the beach. But as her eyes wandered over the scenery, she suddenly noticed something, a dark cloud gliding up the narrow valley into the hills. ‘Over there,’ she called to Ben, Look!’  
‘What?’ Rising up on his haunches, Ben looked but then he quickly realised that he did not know what he was looking for. He glanced back at Rey in confusion, ‘What am I looking at?’  
‘The Shadow,’ explained Rey, but already it had vanished. ‘It’s heading into the mountains.’  
‘Then we’d better follow it.’ Carefully, Ben manoeuvred himself back towards Rey.  
Reaching the bottom of the tree, they could see a squad of Republic troopers heading into the same valley as the Shadow. The troops were led by a female Jedi dressed in long dark flowing robes, which impressed Rey. She had not seen a female Jedi before.  
‘You haven’t seen many Jedi, full stop,’ remarked Ben, catching her thought.  
It was a source of great regret. ‘It must have been amazing in the days of the Republic,’ she said as they followed behind the line of troops, keeping a respectable distance.  
‘If we get out of here alive, we can go and have a look at the temple on Coruscant,’ said Ben, picking his way carefully through the undergrowth. ‘Most of its in ruins but you can get a good idea of what it was like.’  
If we get out of here alive… she couldn’t believe how negative he was being. ‘You don’t rate our chances very highly, do you?’  
‘No,’ he said honestly, ‘we’ve no idea how we got here or where we’ll end up. We’re entirely at the mercy of the Shadow.’  
She had to admit that he did have a point. What was the Shadow up to? Most of the time it had been just ahead of them but it had not even been present on Endor, and here it seemed to be biding its time. Giving her and Ben more time together, to talk, to become fond of one another. Perhaps that was its plan all along. She shuddered.  
We can’t let it win. Ben’s voice intruded into her thoughts.  
‘Do you think it’s testing us?’ she asked him.  
‘Yes.’ All the the past events they had visited so far had been focused on betrayal or attack, affecting their families and their mentors. He did not want to think about what the implications of this might be for him and Rey.  
They continued to track the Republic forces through the dense forests that covered the lower slopes of the mountains, until, eventually, they saw that the Jedi and her forces had stopped some way up ahead.  
‘Something’s wrong,’ Rey whispered to Ben, putting her hand on her lightsaber. Both of them could sense that the atmosphere around them was changing.  
‘Keep going!’ The Jedi had turned round to face her troops, which were standing a little way behind her.  
Suddenly, the squadron lifted their weapons in unison and started firing at her. The Jedi seemed to have anticipated the betrayal and immediately ignited her lightsaber to defend herself, but the sheer force of numbers meant that she was struggling to hold her own.  
‘We have to help!’ said Rey, impulsive as always.  
‘Wait… Rey!’ Before Ben could stop her, she pulled out her lightsaber and charged into the fray, slashing the troops left and right with her blade, taking them completely by surprise. Unsure whether to be pleased at her readiness to help or annoyed with her continual interference in past events, Ben ran after her, his own lightsaber at the ready.  
The Jedi, Luminara, was astonished when Rey and Ben appeared from nowhere; it had to be a gift from the Force, two Jedi coming to help her in her time of great need. With renewed vigour, she attacked her former squadron and it did not take long for the three of them to dispatch the remaining traitorous soldiers.  
‘Thank you.’ As they stood surrounded by dead troops, Luminara spoke first, disengaging her weapon and replacing it on her belt. ‘Without you, I would certainly have been killed.’ She looked them both up and down, seeing that neither of them wore traditional robes. ‘Where did you come from?’  
‘We’re friends of the Wookies,’ said Rey. Remembering that there was an entire army of similar troops on the beach, she added, ‘You have to leave now. You may still be in danger.’  
‘I will.’ Luminara stared at the young woman, wondering if she should know who she was. She was so powerful in the Force, she could feel the light radiating out from her in waves. The man with her was also powerful and strong in the light. However, she could sense faint traces of darkness within both of them, although it was more prominent in the man. ‘Who are you?’  
‘We’re… friends,’ said Rey, echoing Ben’s words to her parents. She had thought about telling the Jedi their names but thought better of it.  
Nodding, Luminara took one last look at them both, ‘Thank you, my friends. May the Force be with you.’  
‘And with you.’ Rey watched until the Jedi disappeared into the undergrowth, hoping that she would be able to escape from the battle. It seemed strange that the warrior’s own squadron had turned on her, and Rey wondered what had happened to Yoda back down on the beach. Turning to Ben, she was about to ask him what he thought, when she was distracted by the curious expression on his face. He was looking at her with a mixture of admiration and understanding. ‘What have I done now?’  
‘Not you, me,’ he said, reaching for her hand. ‘I wanted to stop you but without our help she would have died.’  
‘But I took a big risk.’ Rey had to admit that her impulsiveness was getting worse, not better. ‘I can’t seem to help myself.’  
Gently, Ben pushed her hair back and cupped her face with his hand. ‘I wouldn’t stop,’ he said softly, ‘it’s what makes you… you.’ Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers. The fight had heightened his emotions and they needed release. But for once, there was no impulse for destruction, this time he only wanted to feel her love for him, and to express his love for her. He sighed inwardly as Rey responded passionately, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.  
‘I’m not afraid anymore,’ she whispered to him, in-between heated kisses. She felt his hands in her hair, his lips on hers, the warmth of his tongue in her mouth. It was electric.  
‘Of what?’ he murmured, wanting more but not knowing exactly what it was that he wanted. His entire body desired her, made manifest in urges that he had never experienced before.  
‘Of what we could be.’ As she had feared, her love for Ben had become all-consuming. But whilst it had scared her before, now she readily accepted it, and was prepared to give into it. It felt right, as if the love she felt for him strengthened their connection, and their power, as a dyad, feeding the Force energy that sparked and spluttered around them with great intensity. The Force, it wants us to be together, she thought, but the realisation also made her shudder. For what was it leading them to but a final confrontation with the Shadow?


	52. Hux orders the Tanis to destroy Naboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning - major character death in the chapter. Admiral Griss and Supreme Leader Hux have a clash of opinions over Naboo, when Hux demands that the Tanis, captained by General Quinn, destroys the system. But before it can happen, Ithano's fleet mounts a surprise attack. In Theed, Lando wakes up to bad news but the planet is taken for the Resistance.

Watching the continuing space battle outside, Admiral Griss was close to despair. Despite the massive imbalance of resources, the Resistance-backed fleet was beginning to make an impact thanks to their success in convincing stormtroopers to turn their backs on the First Order. There were reports coming in that the AT-M6s in the plaza down on Theed were either neutralised or destroyed, and most of the reinforcements sent from inside the palace to bolster defences had already turned against their leaders and joined the Resistance. Rumours suggested that the Queen was already in the palace, and that a huge Gungan army was amassing outside the city in the swamps to the East. Griss was not certain which was true or which was exaggeration, but he had lost contact with the command teams on the ground and was contemplating whether or not to take a command shuttle down to the surface, when an aide hurried over to him.  
‘Admiral, Supreme Leader Hux is requesting an update on the situation on Naboo.’  
‘Very well, patch him in.’ Not one to shirk from difficult situations, nonetheless Griss took a deep breath and pushed his shoulders back, knowing that he would need all his courage to face the wrath of his leader.  
‘Admiral Griss,’ Hux’s hologram was stern of aspect but there was also a trace of fear in his eyes. ‘Tell me the truth. Are we close to losing Naboo?’  
‘We are, Supreme Leader,’ admitted the Admiral, knowing that to sugar-coat reality at this critical juncture would be pointless. ‘Whilst our ships have been engaged up here, the Resistance have made it through our defences in the capital, and there are credible rumours that the Queen has forced her way into the palace. I was just about to send reinforcements down to support our troops on the ground.’  
‘There is no need Admiral,’ said Hux, eerily calm despite the growing difficulty of their situation. ‘Quinn has his orders to destroy the planet once we pass the point of no return. I suggest that you move the fleet to a safe distance.’  
‘But what about our troops on the ground, Supreme Leader? Shall we order an evacuation…?’  
‘There is no need,’ said Hux, folding his hands behind his back. ‘We don’t have time to evacuate the planet. Leave them.’  
‘But Supreme Leader, we are almost on top of the problem presented by the Resistance fleet. Give me more time and I will annihilate them. Let us assess the situation properly, we have no idea how many personnel are down there, it represents significant…’  
‘I said leave them!’ Hux’s voice raised momentarily as his hologram flickered and buzzed, interrupted by some external event or interference. ‘You will defer to General Quinn.’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader.’ Griss felt impotent as the hologram buzzed again, broke up and vanished, making Hux’s last words to him unintelligible. Annoyed and out of sorts, Griss went over to the edge of the command platform and looked down onto where the ship’s personnel were beavering away. ‘See if you can get the Supreme Leader back on,’ he grumbled, feeling responsible for the troops that were still supporting their cause down on the ground. They had to get them out, they had to.  
‘Right away, Admiral.’ The aide checked the console, then said, ‘Sir, the Tanis is requesting that we make contact.’  
‘Of course it is,’ sighed Griss, seeing that his wishes were to be ignored. ‘Put Quinn through.’  
‘Admiral Griss,’ the appearance of Quinn’s hologram was instantaneous, and the Admiral turned away from his aides to address him.  
‘General Quinn,’ he began hesitantly, ‘I assume that you have your orders from Hux?’  
‘Yes, he has ordered the obliteration of Naboo. I suggest you move your ships out of firing range.’  
Griss was surprised to hear that there was a note of reluctance in Quinn’s voice. ‘You’re not certain of this strategy, are you?’  
Quinn sighed, ‘If I’m honest, I doubt the Supreme Leader is fully aware of the situation. We still have forces down there, which, given some inspiration, may fight back against this ragtag force that continues to harry us. But he has made his decision.’  
Griss nodded, ‘Then I will accept it. But I think he is making a huge mistake.’ As the hologram of Quinn flickered and disappeared, Admiral Griss walked over to his chief commanding officer, Captain Migurumi. ‘Start to move the ship away from the planet,’ he said, feeling a great wave of exhaustion wash over him, ‘liaise with the Tanis to find a safe trajectory.’  
‘Yes, Admiral.’ Migurumi looked at Griss sympathetically. They had all heard the message, and could understand his frustration.  
‘And tell the rest of the blockade fleet to do the same.’ Sighing, Griss wondered if a message to the remaining troops on the ground was in order, thanking them for their devotion to the cause and for maintaining their positions despite the propaganda messages of the Resistance. He waited until Migurumi had calculated the potential time it would take to move the ship to a safer position, weighing up the options in his mind.  
‘The Brutalist will be in position in five minutes.’  
‘Excellent.’ Already he could feel the engines switching over, the deep thrum making the floor vibrate as the massive ship started to turn around, the result of hundreds of commands sent all over the ship, through hundreds of loyal personnel. The same would be repeated on their sister ships that made up the blockade. It was testament to the loyalty that Griss commanded amongst the fleet that only one of the Star Destroyers, the Warrior, had declared itself neutral in the fight against the Resistance. There had been questions, surely, but he had fielded them with good grace. ‘Try and get in contact with Commander Ingrams again on the ground. We could at least give them a warning about what’s going to happen.’

Over in the Tanis, Quinn waited patiently for the ships of the blockade to start their retreat from the vicinity of Naboo. His aides had calculated that it would take a maximum of ten minutes for all necessary ships to be cleared from firing range, and in that time Quinn was watching the continuing space battle outside. The hull of the Tanis was crawling with fighters and TIEs, battling for supremacy. It seemed that the Resistance fleet had concentrated all their efforts on preventing the Tanis from reaching the planet in the first place but as another of the criminal’s ship was blown into smithereens, Quinn was not worried about their attacks. Instead, like Griss, he was disturbed by the amount of First Order personnel, including officers, that were still down on Naboo. Like Griss, he had frantically been trying to get in touch with those personnel down on the ground, including Commander Ingrams in the palace itself, but every attempt so far had failed.  
‘General?’  
General Quinn looked away from the window, where one of the larger freighters was being decimated by five TIEs, to see Lieutenant Bailey had appeared alongside him. ‘Yes?’  
‘The Brutalist has moved out of the firing range, General, and we have a clear trajectory now upon the planet. Permission to start up the cannons.’  
‘Permission granted…’ Quinn began to say, when alarms started sounding. ‘What the…?’  
‘General Quinn!’ cried another of the aides from her console, voice gripped with panic. ‘Resistance ship incoming!’  
It was the last piece of information that Quinn was to hear. Turning back to the window, he saw the stricken freighter, disabled by the attacks of the fighters, was heading straight towards the windows of the command centre. Horrified, Quinn tried to form the words that would order the guns to fire but he could only watch in mounting horror as the ship headed straight towards the bridge. With seconds towards impact, he finally managed, ‘Somebody shoot that ship!’  
‘It’s too late,’ yelled Bailey, grabbing hold of the senior officer and pulling him down with her towards the floor, an instinctive movement that served no real purpose. The last sound that Quinn heard before he fell unconscious was the damaged freighter ploughing straight into the viewport, and onto the bridge.

‘Admiral! The Tanis is down!’  
‘What?’ Griss turned away from the window of his bridge in agitation, wondering what was going on. Only a few minutes ago they’d had confirmation that the Star Destroyer was warming up its laser cannons, and now this. It was a complete change in the situation. With their ship facing away from Naboo, it was now impossible to see what was happening without relying on the many computers and scanners.  
‘Reports are sketchy at the moment, but it seems that it was brought down by one of the Resistance ships,’ said Officer Missel, trying to stop his panic from becoming too obvious. ‘They’re destroying the last of it now.’  
‘Right. Continue our present trajectory,’ frowned Griss, floundering. It was too late to rejoin the blockade and he knew the makeshift fleet would be encouraged by their success. It was safer to stay outside of the main action. Idly, he wondered if they should return to Coruscant, but he was not sure that the situation was any better there. ’Try and contact the Tanis, see if we can confirm whether these reports are correct before we determine our next course of action.’  
‘Admiral, there’s incoming from General Engell.’  
‘Engell?’ That was a surprise, usually the officers of the High Command went through the Supreme Leader first, not contact each other directly.  
‘Shall I put her through?’ The operative was looking at him expectantly, awaiting orders.  
‘Yes.’ Griss decided to see what Engell was contacting him about.  
The hologram of Engell appeared on the bridge, her face an expression of fear and confusion. ‘Admiral Griss. This is an unsolicited communication, I’ve not gone through the Supreme Leader.’  
‘So I gather,’ said Griss, thinking the situation on Coruscant must be far worse than Hux had intimated. ‘What is it?’  
‘I’ve been asked to contact you on behalf of my crew,’ said Engell. ‘They’re… they’re holding Parnadee hostage so that I will send this message to you.’  
‘Oh, I see.’ That changed things considerably. ‘You’re no longer in charge of your ship?’  
‘No. We’re not.’ Engell looked at him pleadingly. ‘They need answers, Griss. And we can’t give them any. Not without access to the archive. So they want us to stop fighting. To surrender to the Resistance.’  
‘Okay.’ Griss considered the situation. They were losing the advantage on Naboo. It seemed that things on Coruscant were also deteriorating. What choice did they have? Turning to one of the younger officers nearby, he said, ‘Get me the rest of the High Command on line. We need to make a decision.’  
‘Yes, Admiral. Should I include the Supreme Leader in the conference?’  
‘No,’ Admiral Griss made clear. ‘Not for the time being.’  
The hologram of Engell nodded. She understood why.

Coming to, Lando immediately felt a searing pain in his head, side, and a dull throbbing in the rest of his body. He opened his eyes to find that he was stuck in the pilot’s chair, which itself was pushed against the console, his head lying against the levers and buttons. But he was alive and he was breathing. That was far more than he had hoped for.  
Through sheer force of will he pushed and pushed backwards at the fallen chair until it righted itself, sending shivers of pain across his entire body. Gasping, he sat back, letting the seat support him. He could see nothing out of the cockpit, the Falcon was buried underneath what he assumed were the remains of the AT-M6, the transparisteel of the viewport cracked and smashed.  
‘Chewie?’ His voice came out cracked, and weak. He waited a moment for the Wookie to answer but there was no response. Taking a deep breath, he moved his head slowly and carefully to the side, ignoring the immediate pain as his muscles complained. He could see the body of the co-pilot beside him, slumped over the console. ‘Chewie?’ Reaching out, he saw that his hand was bloody where he had caught it on one of the levers but he used it to touch the arm of his friend. ‘Chewie?’  
Underneath the fur, Chewie’s skin was cold.  
Tears crept into Lando’s eyes. ‘Chewie,’ he whispered, fearing that his last link with Han was gone. It didn’t seem fair that he had survived and Chewbacca hadn’t. Why had the Force taken his friend, and not him?  
Jannah.  
The name of his daughter, the name she had chosen for herself after leaving the First Order, popped into his head. That was why he was alive, he decided. After taking so long to find her, it would have been even crueller for the war to have snatched him away from her. ‘Thank you,’ he said quietly to whatever miracle had saved him at the expense of Chewbacca’s life. ‘I won’t forget you, old friend,’ he said to Chewbacca, ruffling his fur with his hand. ‘You’ll always be remembered.’  
But first he had to get out of the Falcon. It was easier said then done considering the extent of his injuries, and his cane, which was usually propped up against the wall of the cockpit behind him, was missing. But he had to get out of there, he couldn’t wait to be found. Especially if the First Order were still in ascendent.  
Mustering all his energy, Lando managed to stand up and, using the chair for support, made his way around it until he was facing the entrance of the cockpit. There was his cane, thank goodness, lying on the floor about a metre away. Staggering over to it, Lando’s legs suddenly gave way, leaving him gasping and sprawling on the floor. Cursing his injuries, he reached out, just managing to touch the cane, and roll it over towards him. He used it to climb to his feet, leaning on it heavily as he sought to maintain his balance. He could see now that the top of the Falcon’s cockpit had been crushed by something heavy, no doubt it was the AT-M6 that had caved the ceiling in. Shuffling slowly forwards, he made his way into the corridor. The wall cladding was hanging off in several places, the wiring sparking and fizzing where it had been severed by the crash. Making it over to the entrance and exit door, Lando pushed the button, only to find that the door was shut tight. Not knowing what else to do, he bashed it repeatedly with his cane but still it refused to open. Going over to one of the panels, he prised it open to reveal a mess of electrics. Seeing the problem, he pushed two of the wires together. Groaning, the door opened upwards reluctantly, jamming halfway but leaving enough space for Lando to crawl through.  
‘Someone’s having a laugh,’ he muttered, but, remembering what had happened to Chewie, he got down on his knees and painfully crawled out underneath the malfunctioning door and into the fresh air.  
Immediately he saw the problem. The huge war machine had collapsed on the front of the cockpit, crushing that side of the ship. The rest of it seemed salvageable, although its landing supports would be shredded. Very carefully he made his way through the mess, climbing painfully over the remains of the AT-M6. At times he thought he wouldn’t make it, but with the help of his cane, eventually Lando poked his head out carefully of the wreckage to survey the situation.  
The Falcon had crashed to the left-hand side of the plaza outside the royal palace, pushing the AT-M6 into the facade of a building. Climbing out, he used the cover of the ship to see what was happening in the plaza. What he saw amazed, and cheered him. He saw a squad of First Order stormtroopers, still wearing their helmets, surrendering to a much larger force of former stormtroopers, distinguished by their lack of helmets. He did not recognise the leaders of the deserters, and there was no sign of Prue. Hopefully she was in the palace, he told himself. Alongside the force of deserters, he saw a species of creature that he had never seen before. They were large creatures, with rough, dull coloured skin, some with long ears that hung down past their shoulders. Some were sat on four-legged lizard-like creatures, wielding long spears. It struck him that these must be the Gungans, who had been beaten by the First Order during the initial takeover of the planet. It was pleasing to Lando to see that they had joined forces with the Resistance to take it back.  
The lack of Prue was really beginning to disturb him, especially considering the forces led by the deserters seemed to be in charge, rounding up the stormtroopers at the side of the plaza as they emerged from the palace. There were still several of the AT-M6s standing tall amongst the wreckage, but their guns were silent. Thinking it was time he announced his survival, Lando readied his cane when he finally saw a familiar face. Coming into the plaza was Sidon Ithano, his helmet off. The side of his face was smeared with blood from a large cut on his head, and he was walking with a limp. Perhaps his ship had come down too?  
Leaving the ruins of the AT-M6 and the Falcon, Lando shouted and waved to get Sidon’s attention. ‘Hey!’ But his voice came out as a strangled croak and it was the leader of the deserters, a young man wearing a grey jumpsuit and a blue scarf, who looked over to where Lando was emerging. Nudging his colleague, he started to talk excitedly with the members of his team beside him, before he ran over to meet with the older man.  
‘You’re Lando Calrissian?’ he asked hesitantly, offering Lando his arm for support.  
‘That’s me.’ Lando started coughing, and the young man put his arm around him, waiting until he had stopped. As soon as he could speak again, he asked, ’Have we won?’  
‘It seems that way,’ said Deesel, for that’s who it was. ‘Although it’s still early days. The Queen has taken the palace and we’ve rounded up most of the troops. There might be a few rogue ones still at large but we’ll find them.’ He was about to move off again, when he suddenly remembered his manners. ‘I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I’m Deesel,’ he explained. ‘I served with Prue and Cammie when our squad originally deserted.’  
‘Ah yes,’ whispered Lando, realising that his voice was going again. ‘I remember Prue mentioned you. Where are they? In the palace?’  
‘No,’ said Deesel sadly, wiping his eyes. ‘I’m afraid to say they were… they were both killed trying to take the palace.’  
Lando stopped, feeling as if he couldn’t go on anymore. ‘But… Prue?’  
‘We found her body in the courtyard,’ said Deesel quietly, his tears evidence of the rawness of his emotions for his former comrade.  
‘And Cammie?’ Although he had not met the squadron’s nominal leader, Prue had told him lots about her.  
‘We don’t know,’ whispered Deesel, unable to say any more. ‘So far we’ve not located her.’  
‘Hey, Lando!’ Sidon had finally seen his old friend, and he came over, his face filled with concern. ‘What happened to you? We thought we’d lost you!’  
‘I thought I was a goner too,’ admitted Lando, his voice still hoarse.   
‘I’ll go and see what’s going on in the palace,’ said Deesel, leaving Lando and Sidon to catch up with one another. ‘I’ll let you know when it’s all clear of troops.’  
As the young man headed over to the palace, Sidon looked with concern at Lando. He could see the mess in the plaza, the broken buildings and the remains of the Falcon crushed underneath one of the colossal war machines. ‘What happened?’  
‘We had to make a crash landing.’ He paused for a moment, tears filling his eyes. Despite the victory, there was no thought of celebration in his mind. ‘The Falcon’s gone.’  
‘Where’s Chewie?’ asked Sidon, looking around for Lando’s towering co-pilot, conspicuous by his absence.  
‘Chewie…’ Lando began, looking wretched. ‘Chewie didn’t make it.’  
Despite the many terrible things he’d witnessed in life, Sidon’s eyes welled up in the knowledge that the Wookie was gone. ‘No,’ he whispered. Through all the challenges that Lando had been through, he knew that losing Chewie would be a tremendous loss. ‘I’m sorry, old friend.’  
The two men embraced each other tightly, letting the tears flow freely for their lost comrades.

Much later on, when Sidon and Deesel had got Lando into a comfortable seat in a small antechamber deep inside the quiet palace, reassured the Queen that the planet was finally safe from the First Order, and found a stash of tea and caf, they slowly started to make sense of what had happened. From Sidon’s perspective, he had seen at first-hand the destruction of the Tanis, which had been sent to bomb the planet into oblivion. After that, the blockade had collapsed. The Brutalist, with Admiral Griss on board, had jumped into hyperspace not long after, abandoning the system to its fate. The rest of the Star Destroyers had immediately surrendered, which Sidon had been able to relay to the troops on the ground. With the AT-M6s disabled, the Resistance forces had made it into the palace, led by Deesel and his command team. They had found only a small force of stormtroopers remaining in the palace, led by an officer who had been trying in vain to contact Admiral Griss for reinforcements. They had readily surrendered, having no real belief left in the First Order once Deesel had explained to them that they had been abandoned by Griss. It was then that Lando had appeared, just as the remaining stormtroopers were being taken out into the plaza.  
‘The Gungans are searching the rest of the city for any leftover troops,’ said Deesel, taking his teabag out of his cup. ‘But without their leaders here, I doubt any of them will try and mount an attack.’  
‘It’s a shame we didn’t manage to capture Griss,’ complained Sidon, drinking his caf with relish. ‘A hostage would have been ideal.’  
Lando shook his head, ‘Griss will be expendable.’ His voice had returned a little after a good drink of tea, but it was still shaky. ‘As I said to Poe before we left Ajan Kloss, nothing but the capture of Supreme Leader Hux himself will bring the First Order to a complete halt.’ That reminded him, ‘Have you contacted Poe? Told him what’s happened here?’  
‘Not yet,’ said Sidon, striking his forehead dramatically. ‘Dammit, I should have thought of that.’  
‘It’s alright, there’s a transmitter in the throne room,’ said Deesel, immediately getting up. ‘I’ll go and talk to the Council, see if we can use it.’  
Whilst Deesel disappeared out into the corridor, Lando looked sorrowfully at Sidon. It was a bittersweet victory for both of them. Both Prue and Chewie were gone, and Sidon had lost many of his friends and associates in the space battle, including Kuimi. ‘It doesn’t feel like much of a celebration, does it?’  
Considering the subdued atmosphere in the palace, Sidon shook his head. ‘Nah. I’m definitely getting too old for this.’  
‘You and me both,’ commented Lando, feeling every single one of his eighty or so years. ‘I can’t wait until this us all over.’  
‘I’ll drink to that,’ said Sidon, raising his cup towards Lando.


	53. Coruscant falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Coruscant, Hux is beginning to realise that his dreams of a greater Empire than Palaptine are doomed to failure. But he has a Plan B - to get to the relative safety of the Unknown Regions where the First Order can regroup. But Finn, Jannah and Rose are coming for him as they make their way through the Senate, dodging obstacles and a figure from Finn's past that he assumed was dead.
> 
> Warning - contains scenes of violence and fighting, as well as suicide and the attempted assassination attempt of a major character.

Supreme Leader Hux sat at his desk, his head in his hands. After the capture of Monument Plaza had been confirmed by his subordinates, he had requested that once they had secured the building, they leave him alone for a moment. He didn’t want them to see his faltering confidence, or his anger at the inability of the vast squadrons of stormtroopers to do what he expected of them. As soon as they had left, Hux had vented his considerable anger, sweeping all the useless data-pads on the floor, data-pads that had failed to keep him abreast of the Resistance’s strategy. But how could he have been better prepared for it? This wasn’t war, it was sabotage. Getting into his stride, he had thrown several cups onto the floor, gaining a small sense of satisfaction upon seeing them smash into fragments. He had kicked out at the furniture, and destroyed a no doubt priceless vase that had otherwise managed to survive the Clone Wars and rise of the Empire. But he was in no mood to care about the past. The action on Coruscant was already bringing back bad memories of the destruction of Starkiller, his cherished project that had been blown apart by the loathsome Resistance, and even further back, the escape into the Unknown Regions when the last remains of the Empire fell during the battle of Jakku. He was determined to stop the same from happening this time, even if it meant he would have to do it alone.  
Outside the office, his two aides, Sheng and Karenia, stood in silence, listening to the noise of smashing and frustration coming from inside it. They knew that Hux was losing his grip on the First Order, and would find it increasingly difficult to justify his strategy from then on. From current intelligence, they knew that the Resistance were close to taking Coruscant both above and on-planet. Most Star Destroyers had either defected or declared their support for the Resistance. On the ground, the Resistance had entered the Senate building, their aim to capture Hux, and end the war. Going over to one of the windows, Officer Sheng looked out onto the plaza, seeing the stormtroopers lined up in rows, patrolled by defectors, recognisable by their missing helmets. Other deserters were heading out into the maze of streets, no doubt searching for the any remaining supporters of the First Order.  
‘They won’t reach us here, will they?’ asked Karenia, worried that the Senate building was not protected enough. They had spent the last few months beefing up the defences, but both of them had considered the plaza well defended and now look at it.  
Sheng turned back from the window. ‘They’ve been lucky so far. They wouldn’t have done it without persuading our troops to defect. But they won’t get past the Elite squadron. They won’t defect whatever underhand methods they try and use.’ In tests, none of the stormtroopers asked to fight the Elite troops had fared very well. With the Elite troops guarding all possible entrances, ready to protect the Supreme Leader to the last, Sheng felt he could be reassuring. ‘We’re safer here than anywhere else.’  
‘I hope so,’ said Karenia, not sure she agreed. All the other officers and subordinates had vanished, no doubt making their way to hidden ships and ways off of the planet. Not for the first time, Karenia wished that she had thought to go with them. There was unlikely to be any reward for loyalty if there was no longer a First Order to be loyal to.  
The office doors opened, and Hux appeared, looking weary. ‘You can come back in now.’  
He had made no attempt to tidy up the mess, but the two remaining aides pretended not to notice it, and returned to their desks. Karenia had only just sat down when a red light started bleeping on the console in front of her, and she looked over at Hux. ’Supreme Leader, Admiral Griss is trying to make contact with you.’  
‘Put him through,’ said Hux energetically, some of his spirit returning. He had been trying get through to Griss for the past hour, wanting to know what was happening on Naboo. This might be the good news that he needed.  
As he watched, several holograms appeared in his office, representing the remaining leaders of the High Command; Griss, Pryde, Trach, Parnadee and Engell. ‘Where’s Quinn?’ he asked.  
‘Quinn is gone,’ said Griss, ‘as is the Tanis.’  
‘What?’ Hux did not expect that. ‘But it destroyed Naboo?’  
‘No, Supreme Leader,’ Griss went on, his face stern and uncompromising. ‘The system has been re-taken by the Resistance.’  
‘How?’ Growing visibly paler, Hux was almost lost for words. ‘Their resources are minimal. A ragtag fleet made up of scumbags, criminals and traitors. How did you allow it to happen?’  
‘It’s the propaganda, Supreme Leader,’ said Pryde, coming to Griss’ defence. He was himself a refugee on the Brutalist, having had to flee from the Star Destroyer he captained after it had declared itself neutral. ‘Our people are turning against us, encouraged by the false promises of the Resistance.’  
Hux was silent, thinking things over. Then he turned back to the Admiral, ‘But your ships are still loyal?’  
‘For the time being,’ said Griss.  
‘But our personnel are asking questions,’ cut in Parnadee, ‘and they want answers. We cannot fob them off much longer.’ After much negotiation, Parnadee had managed to extract herself from the clutches of her subordinates, but she had been forced to promise that she would provide them with the information that they needed from the Archives. ‘They want to know where they come from.’  
‘If that is all they want, then we can give it to them, but we need to get away from the Resistance first. We must regroup with what we have left,’ said Hux decisively. ‘The Derriphan is on its way here, with the power to exterminate anyone or any system that gets in our way. It is staffed with humans from Exegol, who will not be swayed by the Resistance propaganda.’  
‘But we thought the Tanis would be the answer to Naboo,’ pointed out Griss, not holding out much hope. ‘And the Resistance brought it down. The same could happen to the Derriphan.’  
‘Then we retreat to Exegol,’ said Hux, thinking on his feet. ‘Like my father did with the remnants of the Empire. They have hundreds of ship in production. We wait there until the time is right. Then when the fleet is ready, we come back and blast the scum into another galaxy!’  
His words were inspiring to the rest of the High Command, buoyed up by the existence of the fleet on Exegol. Looking around at his colleagues to gauge their reaction, Griss turned back to Hux. ‘Then, what is your plan, Supreme Leader?’  
‘I will come to you,’ he said decisively. There was a small, emergency shuttle hidden close by, accessed by a hidden tunnel, that had been designed to be used in a crisis such as this. ‘Send me your co-ordinates.’  
‘Then we are abandoning Coruscant?’ asked Griss, wondering what was going through the Supreme Leader’s mind.  
‘No, we are merely evacuating it. Before we obliterate it completely,’ explained Hux. ‘The Derriphan will continue its journey here. Its last mission will be to destroy Coruscant and take the Resistance leadership along with it. A fitting end, don’t you think?’  
‘It would be poetic, Supreme Leader,’ agreed Pryde.  
‘I agree,’ said Griss, gesturing to his aide to send the co-ordinates for the Brutalist through to Hux. ‘Very well, Supreme Leader, we will await your arrival.’  
The holograms disappeared, and Hux looked into the empty space where they had been, his eyes looking beyond into the far distance.  
‘We’ve received the co-ordinates, Supreme Leader,’ said Karenia.  
‘Good, put them on a data-stick. And while you’re at it, Sheng, you can download the relevant archives. All First Order information on home planets and family names. If that is what it takes to keep loyalty, then I suppose we will need to take it with us.’ Standing up, Hux pushed his hand through his hair from where it was flopping onto his forehead. First Order protocol was important to the last breath. He picked up his communicator, stashing it away into his pocket. He made sure that he had his blaster in his belt and the small dagger he always carried was hidden in his sleeve. ‘Once we’ve got out of here, we’ll broadcast a message to the rest of the fleet. Tell them that we will give them the answers they need in return for their loyalty.’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader.’ Already Sheng was making sure that the archive was saved to his data-stick, his own interest over his origins stirring inside.  
Hux took one last look around the room. He had liked this office from the first time that he had seen it, the first time he had visited Coruscant with, of all people, Kylo Ren. They had taken a tour of the city planet together, finding, surprisingly, that they agreed about a great deal of things. What to destroy and what to keep. Not that it had made them any closer, but Hux had always wondered if he would have got on better with the former Ben Solo if the man had not been Force sensitive, or related to the Skywalkers. Banishing such idle thoughts, he turned back to his aides. ‘Finished?’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader.’ Sheng removed the data-stick, stowing it away in his pocket with the co-ordinates of the High Command.  
‘I’m ready, Supreme Leader.’ Officer Karenia had put into place the final orders for the building, all that remained to be done was to start the process of destruction that would sweep through the entire structure once the Supreme Leader was far enough away.  
‘Excellent.’ Leaning over towards the desk, Hux pressed a button underneath it that opened up a panel in the wall. Inside was a long tunnel, leading into darkness. ‘A secret exit,’ said Hux, picking up his heavy woollen coat and putting it on. ‘Designed to be used by Chancellor Palpatine for easy access to various locations around the city. Including a secret hangar where he always kept a ship ready in case he needed it. The man was truly a genius.’ He looked over at Officer Sheng. ‘Got the torches?’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader.’ She handed them one each.  
‘The First Order will not be defeated,’ said Hux softly as they headed into the tunnels. ‘Like the Empire, we will rise from the ashes of our seeming defeat, only to become stronger.’

Meanwhile, Finn and his small team had made it to the fifth floor of the Senate building. In the absence of working elevators, it was slow going. They had to take the emergency block, a utilitarian white space that ran up the centre of the labyrinthine complex, made dark and forbidding by the neglect and vandalism that it had been subjected to, the metal stairs ringing with the sound of their footsteps. Each stairwell had to be checked carefully in case of troops, or other defences, lying in wait for them at each new floor level. Their ultimate destination was the tenth level, where they would be able to access the vital corridor that linked the Senate with the Chancellor’s Office.  
They had reached the seventh level - Jannah and Finn checking to see if there were any dangers up ahead - when suddenly the lights went out, plunging them into darkness.  
‘Uh oh,’ said Finn, switching on the torch that was attached to his jacket. ‘That’s not good.’  
‘They’re shutting down the building,’ realised Jannah, ‘that means Hux is abandoning it!’  
‘Shit,’ Finn wondered momentarily what they should do. ‘Do we keep going?’  
‘We have to,’ said Jannah, thinking quickly. ‘If he’s trying to escape he’ll have to come this way, unless he has an alternative route. We need to get to his office, only there will we find out where he’s gone.’  
‘You’re right.’ Pulling out the comlink, Finn contacted Commander Reekeene, who had taken over the leadership of the Resistance forces in the plaza after the demise of Thwisp. ‘Reekeene, are you there?’  
‘Yes, General Danu. We just saw the lights go out in the Senate building - are you okay?’  
‘For the time being. We think Hux is trying to abandon Coruscant. Be on high alert in case he tries to escape through the plaza.’  
‘Roger that, General!’  
Quickly Finn and Jannah ran back to the stairwell, finding Rose and the rest of their small team equally alarmed by the loss of power. Regrouping, they decided to push on. It was the only thing they could do. They needed to capture Hux. Whilst he was at large, they knew that there would always be the possibility that the First Order could continue.  
With only their torches for light, they continued up the stairs, climbing higher and higher. The only sound was the tramp, tramp, tramp of their footsteps on the metal stairs, punctuated by strange, muffled noises from other parts of the building. Rose wished that MC was still with them, his devices were always handy for identifying what was happening behind walls and doors. Her eyes filled with tears in his memory and she hurriedly wiped them away.  
Finally they reached the tenth level. Finn and Jannah checked through the small window in the door, trying to see if there was anything lurking in the corridor. Their torches reflected back unhelpfully on the glass, but as far as they could tell, the corridor was empty.  
Taking out his lightsaber, Finn looked at Jannah. ‘Ready?’  
‘Ready.’ Jannah had her blaster ready.  
Trying the handle, Finn found that it was locked. ‘We’re gonna have to break it down.’  
‘Stand back.’ Aiming her blaster at the door, Jannah fired repeatedly at the lock and around the frame of the door. Eventually it grumbled and gave way, crashing to the ground.  
They stepped through the doorway. Their torches revealed a long corridor disappearing into the darkness beyond, with doors at various intervals.  
It was eerily silent.  
‘Watch out!’ Finn noticed it fractionally before Jannah did, a black sphere heading towards them, firing lasers as it spun through the air. They hit the floor, hearing Rose and the two ex-stormtroopers do the same. But then the droid shifted, using its sensors to re-locate them, firing down towards the floor. Leaping up, Finn deflected the lasers back towards it, whilst Jannah started firing. But soon more and more droids were coming at them, the corridor filling up with the deadly assassins.  
‘Argh!’ LF-2005 fell to the floor, shot through the chest.  
‘Finn!’ gasped Rose, knowing that she was shooting blindly. ‘There’s too many of them!’  
‘Not if I can help it!’ Remembering his training with the remote, Finn jumped into the air, slicing through one of the droids, then another, spinning and dancing through and between them, his lightsaber cutting cleanly through plasteel and wires. Soon he had reached the end of the corridor, panting heavily from the exertion. Behind him lay a trail of broken droid parts, fizzing and sparking on the floor.  
The silence returned. There was a pause as everyone took stock of what had happened.  
LF-1977 was slumped over his comrade, closing her eyes carefully with his hand. ‘She’s gone,’ he said mournfully. ‘Now she’ll never get to know who she was.’  
Rose put her hand on his shoulder, sharing his pain. ‘But we can find out for her. We’ll tell her family. She won’t be forgotten.’  
‘I bet this won’t be the first of the defences that Hux’s put in,’ said Finn to Jannah, as they waited for the others.  
Jannah checked her map of the building’s layout. ‘There’s no indication on this.’  
‘No,’ muttered Finn, peering over her shoulder. ‘We could really do with MC and his gadgets to make sense of what’s going on…’ When Jannah looked at him, wide-eyed, he realised his mistake. ‘I’m sorry.’ He passed his hand over his face, starting to feel the effects of extreme tiredness.  
‘It’s okay,’ said Jannah, patting his arm. ‘We all make mistakes.’  
Rose and LF-1977 came over. ‘What now?’ she asked, looking at the map that Jannah still had open.  
‘We need to make it to this staircase,’ explained Jannah, pointing to the relevant section of the map. ‘Then it’s up five levels and that should take us to the Chancellor’s Office.’  
There was a loud bang from somewhere in the building, making them all jump.  
‘What was that?’ Rose grasped her blaster tightly. She had never felt so nervous. They were exposed, vulnerable.  
‘Come on, let’s keep going,’ said Finn, knowing that they had to keep the momentum and stay alert. There were bound to be more hidden dangers. ‘We’re nearly there.’  
Breaking down the door into the next part of the building, they made their way slowly, cautiously towards the next stairwell. The rooms here were all abandoned, filled with broken furniture and rubbish that lit up momentarily as they passed by with their lights on. There were creatures in the darkness too, occasionally they saw something scurrying away from their lights, or heard the scamper of feet. But to their relief, it seemed that the creatures, whatever they were, were not curious about the incomers in their world. They kept to the shadows.  
Reaching the stairwell, Finn swept his torch up and down the stairs, trying to locate any hidden defences. There was nothing obvious and he called the others on, starting the climb up to the fifteenth level. Their footsteps echoed in the stairwell as they climbed up and up. They had just reached the thirteenth level when there was another loud bang from another part of the building.  
‘That sounded closer,’ said Rose, her voice shaking.  
‘Hmm,’ said Finn, his senses on high alert. He could feel the tension in the Force around him, as if something was about to happen. Reaching out, he tried to pinpoint the source of the feeling but the images it provoked in his head were fleeting, obscure. He was about to say that they should keep going when there was a sound like falling water. Looking up, Finn could see that it was indeed water, falling down from the ceiling far above. ‘Take cover!’ he yelled, throwing himself to the side of the staircase, crouching down and covering his head with his hands. The others copied him, clinging to the side of the staircase as best they could.  
The water rushed over them in a great torrent, rainwater that had pooled and collected on the roof high above and was now breaking free of its constraints. It was freezing cold, soaking them mercilessly, the force so great that they felt as if they were being pummelled. Crouched at the side of the stairs, keeping his face hidden, Finn was glad of his quasi-Jedi senses. The force of the water had been strong enough to knock an individual off their feet. If they hadn’t had the prior warning, they would have all been washed away, down the stairs. Possibly killed in the process. The Force protects us.  
Finally the rush of water started to slow down, became a trickle, then eventually it stopped. Daring to look up, Finn saw that the others were safe, albeit soaking wet. Climbing to his feet, he looked over at Jannah, at Rose. They were both stunned by what had happened.  
‘Was that done on purpose?’ asked Rose. Like Jannah, she was trying to wring out as much water as possible from her hair and clothes as she could.  
‘I don’t know,’ Finn admitted, running his hands through his hair. He looked up. ‘It could have been a coincidence but…’ he trailed off, knowing that they needed to keep going just in case the building had any more surprises for them.  
LF-1977, protected by his armour, was having less trouble with the water and he regarded Finn admiringly. ’Good thing you saw that coming,’ he said to the former stormtrooper, amazed by his sharp reflexes. ‘We wouldn’t have stood a chance.’  
Holding out his hand to first Rose, then Jannah, Finn helped his two friends to their feet. ‘Come on. We need to stay on our guard.’  
They started to climb up the stairs again, streams of water still running down the centre of the metal treads. But there were only two levels to go now and it didn’t take them long to reach the right level. They had just reached the door to the fifteenth floor when a laser blast came from nowhere, hitting LF-1977 right in the forehead, his body crumpling immediately to the ground in front of Rose.  
‘What the…!’ Finn shouted at Rose and Jannah to get down, seeing shadowy figures lurking behind the half-open door. Pulling out his blaster, he aimed at them and fired several rounds. Whoever it was slammed the door shut, the sound echoing through the stairwell.  
Rose was shaking so much by now she could hardly hold her blaster. Seeing her distress, Jannah comforted her, knowing that she hadn’t had the benefit of military training like her and Finn. ‘I can’t go on. I can’t,’ she said plaintively, thinking that she would only be a burden to her friends.  
‘Yes you can,’ said Jannah gently, trying to bolster her confidence. ‘We can’t leave you here, and you can’t go back now. Stay with me. We’re in this together, right?’  
‘Right,’ nodded Rose, wishing she had even a tiny piece of Jannah’s confidence. All of her’s had gone.  
They hurried over to where Finn was peering warily through the door, trying to work out who had shot at them.  
‘What was it?’ whispered Jannah, keeping a tight hold on Rose’s hand.  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Finn, who was using the Force to try and map out what was in front of them. ‘But we’re getting close to the Chancellor’s Office now. There must be some pretty heavy defences in place.’  
‘Now that there’s only three of us left,’ muttered Rose gloomily.  
‘Let’s go,’ Finn felt bad for Rose but there was no time to dwell on things. They had to keep going.  
Pushing open the door, Finn kept his lightsaber high as he inched forward into the corridor. Slowly, he made his way down it, peering into rooms and making sure the coast was clear before ushering Rose and Jannah onwards. There was no sign of whoever had shot LF-1977 but Finn could sense there was someone close by. Waiting for them.  
A laser blast came flying out of nowhere, hitting the wall behind Jannah. Instinctively, she raised her blaster towards their hidden assailant and fired past Finn into the darkness. ‘Come out, you coward!’  
In front of her, Finn inched forward, reaching out with the Force.  
From somewhere up ahead of him, he could sense whoever was taunting them was lifting up their blaster, their finger on the trigger.  
‘Watch out!’   
The three of them threw themselves to the ground as another three shots came flying towards them. Staying on the floor, Finn crawled forwards, shooting blindly into the darkness up ahead, trusting his instincts.  
There was a thump, then silence.  
From behind him, Rose whimpered. She was beyond terrified. The only thing keeping her going was the fact that they had gone too far now to turn back.  
Finn crawled a little further up the corridor when the lights in the ceiling started to buzz and flicker, coming on one by one by one, lighting each section of the corridor. After the darkness it hurt his eyes, and he blinked, trying to keep focused. For finally, whoever it was who had been stalking them, had decided to reveal themselves.  
Jumping to his feet, Finn stared at their assailant.  
It was Phasma.  
Or rather, it was a copy of Phasma. It had to be. For he had watched as she had plunged to her death on the Supremacy.  
Five stormtroopers stood in front of them, the one at their head a perfect copy of Phasma, from the chrome armour to the cape that swept across her left shoulder.  
‘FN-2187,’ said Phasma, her voice an unnerving copy of the original. ‘We finally get a chance to meet again.’  
‘You’re not Phasma,’ said Finn, readying his lightsaber, his voice clear and confident. ‘I watched her burn.’  
‘So you thought,’ said Phasma, striding closer, her fingers itching on her blaster. ‘But I survived. I’ve always been a survivor. Just like you.’  
Finn stared at Phasma, wondering if what she said was true. Looking closer, he could see the shine on the lead stormtroopers armour was dull and tarnished, as if the chrome was covered in a thin black coating. Like metal when it had been put into the flames. Perhaps she had managed to survive after all. ‘Then you know that the system has been unfair to people like us. We weren’t meant to serve the First Order.’  
‘No.’ There was a slight change in Phasma’s voice, a softness. ‘But I clawed my way up from nothing. I deserve to be here. Unlike you who turned traitor the first chance he got.’  
Finn shook his head, ‘You murdered and cheated to get where you are. I bet those troops behind you don’t know that you betrayed the First Order on Starkiller base to protect your own hide!’  
‘Ha, that old news,’ scoffed Phasma, bringing her weapon up to fire on the defiant ex-stormtrooper.  
But Finn was ready for her and he used his lightsaber to deflect the laser blasts back at Phasma and her troops. Stepping aside, Phasma laughed as the troops behind her lifted their hands, the laser blasts dissolving harmlessly on impact.  
‘What the…?’ Finn couldn’t hide his surprise.  
’Snoke always wanted to harness the power of the Force for the benefit of the First Order. Through himself, through Kylo Ren, and through his troops. Behold, the products of his experiments!’  
Stepping back, Phasma allowed the four troops behind her to come to the fore. They were wearing a variation on stormtrooper armour, black and shiny, the red First Order logo glistening on their chests. Two of them held blasters, the other two what looked like lightsabers, modified riot control batons that sparkled and crackled with raw energy.  
‘Good luck,’ she snarled before vanishing, leaving Finn to fight the four troops.  
‘Find cover!’ yelled Finn to his two friends, immediately on the defensive. It would take all his concentration, and the skills he had honed with Rey’s help, but he was ready to fight.  
But Jannah and Rose had not been idle. As soon as the former commander had appeared, they had fled into one of the nearby rooms, looking for something that would provide some cover for the imminent conflict. Whilst Phasma and Finn had been talking, they had dragged together enough furniture to make a rough and ready barricade in the corridor, something from behind which they could attack the troops and help Finn. As he leapt into the fray, they were taking shots with their blasters, and it was not long before they had brought one of the troops down.  
Finn was glad for their assistance, for he was hard-pressed against the three troops. Fortunately their strength in the Force was crude at best, trained for violence rather than finesse. It gave him confidence and he pressed his advantage, disabling one of the troops and kicking out at another, using the Force to push over the third. Rey’s training had unlocked his strength and he found himself instinctively able to anticipate the moves of his opponents, giving him a clear advantage. Another troop fell, and he was about to silence the last when it dropped down to the floor, shot by Jannah.  
Breathing heavily, Finn looked over to his friends. ‘Thanks.’  
‘Now we have to get after Phasma,’ said Jannah, joining him with Rose.  
‘I have a feeling it won’t be the last of the troops either,’ muttered Finn, nursing a cut on his arm where a weapon had caught him.’Now we’re getting closer to Hux, defences are bound to ramp up.’ He looked gratefully at his two friends, ‘Ready?’  
‘Ready.’ Both Rose and Jannah had been galvanised by the victory over the troops.  
They disappeared down the corridor after Phasma.

The remaining members of the High Command had reconvened on the Oppressor. Most of the crew of the Dreadnaught had remained loyal, although several officers had already been confined to the brig for insubordination. Most of the blockade’s ships had gone over to the Resistance or declared their neutrality, although the Brutalist remained loyal under the command of Trach, whom Griss had left behind to represent him. Fortunately the Dreadnaught’s defences were continuing to hold off the Resistance fleet, and Pryde, Griss, Parnadee and Engell were standing on the bridge, anxiously wondering how long they could last. Trach appeared too, but as a hologram.  
‘Hux is taking his time,’ muttered Pryde, wincing as another TIE was obliterated by an X-Wing outside. ‘Did he say how long his ETA would be?’  
‘No,’ said Griss, his loyalty to the First Order wavering in the face of obvious defeat. His survival instincts were starting to kick in. ‘Perhaps, and I don’t say this lightly. Perhaps we should go without him.’  
‘What?’ Parnadee looked at him in horror. ‘You think we should abandon the Supreme Leader?’  
‘Not… abandon him,’ said Griss smoothly, ‘we can re-send him our co-ordinates when we find a safe place.’  
‘There is another way,’ piped up Engell, who had been quietly thinking whilst everyone else was talking. ‘We could contact the Resistance. Find out what the price of surrender will be.’  
There was silence. Outside the battle raged.  
‘We can’t,’ said Parnadee eventually, ‘that’s worse than abandoning Hux.’  
‘I didn’t say we should surrender,’ Engell made clear, speaking very carefully. ‘I said we should contact the Resistance to see what the price of surrender would be. If we leave it until the situation becomes even worse…’  
‘I agree.’ Pryde nodded, he could see where her thoughts were headed. ‘It would simply be testing the waters, so to speak,’ he said reassuringly, ‘just in case there is nowhere to hide.’  
‘Exactly.’ Engell looked expectantly at Griss. ‘What do you think?’  
Griss sighed. ‘I think it’s worth a try. As is anything at this stage. Without the support of our troops, we cannot hope to last much longer against the Resistance.’  
‘Kylo Ren knew that our approach to recruitment was a potential weakness,’ complained Engell, thinking back to the long conversations that she’d had with him. ‘We should have listened to him more, not Hux.’  
‘It’s the fault of the whole system,’ agreed Pryde, ‘too much power is invested in the Supreme Leader. We’re at the mercy of their whims.’  
As Griss agreed to try and make contact with the Resistance, Trach’s hologram silently switched off. He was in a quandary. He knew that Griss and the others were right, that they had to try and make the best of the situation and agree terms with the Resistance before the situation was irretrievable. But he couldn’t countenance leaving the Supreme Leader out of the loop.  
Back on the Brutalist, he went over to one of the consoles. ‘Get me in touch with Supreme Leader Hux.’

At that moment, Hux was still in the tunnel which led deep under the surface of Coruscant. It had not been built by Chancellor Palpatine but he had adapted it for his own uses, extending it further into the industrial wastelands that he had used for clandestine meetings with his Sith loyalists. Abandoned for many years, it was dirty and dusty, and haunted by creatures that scuttled away from the light of Hux’s torch and strident footsteps. The Supreme Leader looked around him with distaste, but even he knew that it was no time to be fussy. He had to get away from Coruscant, and fast.  
Behind him, Sheng and Karenia followed him dutifully, covered in cobwebs and dust, just like their leader.  
Inside his overcoat, Hux’s communicator started bleeping softly. Pulling it out, he looked at who it was. ‘Commandeer Trach?’  
‘Supreme Leader, I mean to warn you. The High Command are planning to make contact with the Resistance.’  
‘They’re what?’ Hux almost stopped in his tracks, incensed by their betrayal. But he forced himself to go on. ‘What is their reasoning?’  
‘They want to test the waters. See what the conditions of surrender will be before the situation worsens.’  
In the darkness, something scampered over Hux’s boot and he kicked it away. ‘I suppose there’s some logic in that approach,’ he conceded, ‘but they mean to sell us out?’  
‘I don’t know, Supreme Leader, I’m still on the Brutalist. The rest of the High Command have transferred to the Oppressor.’  
‘Right.’ Hux was thinking on his feet, a skill that had saved him many times of great danger. ‘Contact as many loyal ships as you can. Not just on Naboo and Coruscant, but wherever we have a presence. Include the Derriphan.’  
‘Yes, Supreme Leader.’  
‘Send me a shuttle, anything you can get down to the surface now.’ The Emperor’s hidden shuttle was far out in the industrial regions and Hux knew now that he didn’t have time to reach it. ‘Have it land as close as you can get to Monument Plaza. But be careful, the place is crawling with Resistance scum.’  
‘Yes, of course, Supreme Leader.’  
Turning around, Hux gestured for his aides to return back the way they had come, much to their surprise. But they did not argue with him. ‘Then we’ll make for Exegol, take command of the remaining Star Destroyers and rebuild the fleet with more obedient humans.’ Reluctantly, Hux wondered if all those years ago, Kylo Ren had been correct. That using clone troops would have been a more sensible option than relying on stolen children, as his father had preferred. Perhaps the collapse of his forces now was his father’s final act of revenge against him.  
‘An excellent plan, Supreme Leader.’ There was one last question, ‘Shall I tell the rest of the High Command about this plan?’  
‘Not for now,’ muttered Hux, wincing as something dropped from the ceiling onto his coat. Impatiently, he wiped it away. ‘We will wait to see how loyal they are before we make that decision.’ Switching off the comlink, he followed his aides back down the tunnel, heading for the exit that would take them out into a street near the plaza.

‘That’s the Chancellor’s Office,’ said Jannah, peering out from behind a statue that flanked the end of the red corridor that led them to their hallowed destination. It was of a Twi-lek woman, carved in smooth green marble; her body slender and lithe, her lekku flung out behind her in rapture or celebration, it was hard to tell. Chunks of missing stone gave reminders of former conflicts that had raged through the building.  
There had been several more sets of troops to break through before they had got here. Finn and Jannah had tried talking to them, to get them to stand down. But the troops had not replied or even spoken, just mindlessly attacked them. They had used up all their spare energy tablets now and were running on the last reserves they had. Jannah looked awful, her face red and bleeding where a shot had caught her. Rose had done her best to patch it up with whatever bacta she had left but it desperately needed attention. Finn had added a thigh wound to his arm, bandaging it up with one of the sleeves from his under-shirt. Rose was the only one that had escaped further injury, but her side was still painful from her earlier failure out in the plaza.  
By now, Finn knew that they were hanging on by a thread. But finally, finally, the end was in sight.  
‘I wonder what’s happened to Phasma?’ whispered Jannah as they made their way cautiously towards the doors of the office.  
‘Perhaps she’s holed up in there with Hux?’ suggested Finn, his lightsaber buzzing as he inched his way forwards. ‘She’s his shield.’  
‘That would make sense,’ said Rose from behind them. She was half keeping an eye on the corridor behind them, making sure that no one was following them, half looking at the busts of former Chancellors of the Republic that lined the corridor. It encouraged her to see that there was a mixture of human, and non-human faces. The Republic had always encouraged greater diversity than either the Empire or the First Order.  
The antechamber was likewise as empty as the corridor, and Finn reached the doors first. Cautiously, he reached out and pushed the button on the wall. With a smooth hum, the doors slid open.  
The office opened up before them. The red carpeted interior, the sculptures. The huge window looking out over the plaza. The large desk at the centre. But to Finn’s dismay, it wasn’t Hux that was sat there. It was Phasma.  
‘Disappointed to see me?’ Grabbing her blaster, Phasma started shooting at Finn. Spinning away, despite his fast reflexes, he caught a stray shot in his shoulder which made him gasp with pain. Jannah and Rose immediately dived for cover behind a couch towards the left of the door, pulling out their blasters. They fired at Phasma but the shots pinged harmlessly off of her armour and she only laughed at them.  
‘I should have remembered that from last time,’ Rose muttered. They would need to think of another plan.  
Finn had his lightsaber in position now and was deflecting the bullets away from himself, back towards Phasma. Grunting, she dived under the desk, reappearing with another weapon, an adapted control baton that cracked and hissed with electrical energy. Raising it high, she came at Finn aggressively, swinging it towards him with fierce strength. As his lightsaber blade came up to meet it, the shock went through Finn’s body but he held firm and pushed Phasma away. She came at him again, snarling with anger, on the attack. Defending himself, Finn slashed and parried, meeting her blade as she tried to defeat him with sheer force of will. But the lessons with Rey were paying off, and Finn found a lightness, a grace, that carried him through. Soon, he was relying less on what was happening in front of him, using the Force to anticipate Phasma’s every move, trying to catch her off guard.  
Eventually, he found a way in. Seeing her overreach, he pushed hard with his weapon and Phasma fell backwards, stumbling over the remains of data-pads lying on the carpet where Hux had thrown them and dropping her weapon. Seeing his advantage, Finn swept low and forwards with his blade, catching the edge of Phasma’s helmet. It flipped off, revealing the ruin of Phasma’s face. It was scarred and burned, the skin red and damaged. One eye was fused closed, the other stared at him with unmitigated hatred. Most of her blonde hair had been burned away, leaving a few strands clinging to her scarred head.  
As Finn stared at her, he felt no sense of victory. Only sadness that Phasma’s relentless need for power had resulted in her near death and disfigurement. Stooping down, he picked up the baton and threw it over to where Jannah and Rose were crouched. Then, he turned back to Phasma, who was staring up at him, fear and loathing in her good eye.  
‘Are you going to kill me?’ she asked, her eye moving down onto the lightsaber that was being held towards her chest.  
‘No.’ Finn was certain of that. ‘I never wanted to kill anyone. Even though you trained me to be a killer, I knew that it wasn’t me.’  
‘I trained you to be a soldier,’ corrected Phasma, her eye still on the lightsaber. ‘There’s more to being a soldier than killing. You learnt how to serve. The meaning of loyalty, discipline. What this galaxy needs to stop everything from falling into chaos.’  
‘Maybe,’ said Finn, keeping his eyes on her. ‘But what the First Order did was wrong. They wanted power and revenge more than anything else. That’s no way to build hope. And hope is worth more than all the power in the galaxy.’  
Phasma’s eye narrowed. ‘But you would take hope away from me.’ And, before Finn knew what she was doing, she had impaled herself on his lightsaber. It pierced through her armour, killing her instantly. As Finn watched, her good eye closed as she breathed her last, her face finally reposed in death as she collapsed back onto the floor.  
Shaken, Finn breathed heavily, knowing it was over. Turning off his lightsaber, he knelt on the ground, exhausted and battered by what he had seen, what he’d been forced to endure.  
‘What’s going on?’ came Rose’s timorous voice from behind the couch.  
‘Is it safe?’ added Jannah.  
‘Yes,’ said Finn, looking up, ‘it’s safe.’  
Rose and Jannah stood up and made their way over to where Finn was kneeling. Silently they put their arms around him, holding each other close. It was not long before they were all crying, crying for their lost comrades, crying with relief.  
The communicator on the desk started bleeping, indicating that there was an incoming message.  
Looking up, Finn looked over at the desk in surprise. ‘Should we answer it?’ he asked, wiping his eyes.  
‘Of course, dummy,’ said Rose, sniffing. ‘It might be important.’  
For some reason, this made Jannah laugh, and soon they were all laughing, giddy from their experiences. Trying to calm himself down, Finn got up and went over to the desk. The red light was still flashing and he pressed the button next to it. ‘Hello?’  
‘This is Admiral Griss,’ said a hesitant voice on the other end, the man himself appearing as a small, faint hologram. ‘Who are you?’  
‘I’m General Danu, of the Resistance,’ said Finn pleasantly. ‘Were you expecting Hux?’  
‘Not really,’ said Griss, unperturbed. ‘I was hoping to catch General Dameron, but I suppose you’ll do.’  
Finn laughed, ‘We’re both leaders of the Resistance, if that helps.’  
‘It does.’ On the other end, Griss coughed. ‘I’m here with the remaining members of the High Command. We would like to know… if we decided to surrender to you, would there be favourable terms?’  
‘I don’t think you’re in much of a position to bargain,’ said Finn casually. ‘Hux has run away. You’ve lost Coruscant and your fleet is in pieces. Your forces are spread too wide across the galaxy to mount an effective campaign at this stage. But we will treat you fairly, if you give yourselves up to us now.’  
‘What do you mean by… fairly?’  
‘For one, we’ll allow you to make your case in an open court as to why you and the First Order sought to oppress the galaxy,’ said Finn, glancing over at Rose and Jannah. ‘Let’s say that General Dameron and I have a more enlightened idea of what justice means than the First Order. We won’t demand your deaths, but we will expect you to atone for what you, and the rest of the First Order leadership, have done and condoned.’  
‘I suppose that is fair.’ There was silence and Finn wondered if he was discussing his response with the rest of the leadership. ‘In the absence of our Supreme Leader, the High Command have agreed that we will surrender on these terms. We will ensure that the remainder of our ships stand down, and we will await your further orders.’  
‘Very good,’ agreed Finn. ‘I’ll get in touch with General Dameron and we’ll take it from there.’  
‘Thank you.’  
The communicator went silent and Finn looked over at his friends, a smile creeping over his face. ‘That’s it! The war’s over.’  
‘Can we trust him?’  
‘I think so. Griss was always the most responsible member of the High Command.’  
‘But what about Hux?’

Pushing open the metal door, Hux found a set of stairs leading up from the tunnel into the street above. ‘This should bring us out next to the plaza,’ he said to his two aides. All three of them were weary, footsore, and damp from the dripping water in the tunnels, longing to see the sunlight again. Hux was craving a cup of tea, he couldn’t wait to be on his way off of this planet. It had been a mistake to make a permanent base, he had learnt his lesson.  
The comlink buzzed and he switched it on. ‘Trach?’  
‘We’ve managed to get a TIE down to the surface without being spotted, Supreme Leader,’ came Trach’s voice. ‘It’ll land in the streets to the side of the plaza. Sending the co-ordinates now.’  
‘Good. We’re on our way.’ Co-ordinates received, Hux switched the comlink off. He started to climb up the rusting stairs, his boots ringing out as they struck the metal.  
‘Does that mean, Supreme Leader,’ asked Sheng warily, not sure he wanted to know the answer to his question. ‘Does that mean that we won’t be able to come with you?’  
‘Oh. I suppose not.’ Suddenly, Hux felt less secure about the two aides behind him. They could easily overpower him and attempt to take his place on the ship. But then he remembered the blaster inside his coat and smiled to himself. He would always be one step ahead of everyone else.  
Soon, Hux reached the metal plate that sealed the top of the tunnel. Entering the code to open it, he pushed it upwards as soon as the air hissed around it, indicating that the mechanism had been released. Pulling out his blaster, he climbed up the final steps and peered up and out into the street. A small side street that ran off the plaza, it was fortunately empty.  
Pushing off the metal lid, he climbed out of the hole and ran towards the nearby buildings, seeking cover. Followed by his two aides, he crept towards the end of the street where it joined the plaza, looking out for the TIE. Taking out his device, he scanned the streets until he saw the entrance to the block where the fighter had been landed. ‘Dammit!’ It was right over the other side of the plaza.  
‘What is it?’ asked Karenia, still loyal despite the reality that both her and Sheng faced. They would be left behind, at the mercy of the Resistance.  
‘We’re on the wrong side of the plaza.’  
‘We could make our way around…’  
‘It’ll take too long.’ Hux looked at them both expectantly, ‘I’m going to need you to do one last thing for me.’  
For the plaza was not safe. In and amongst the AT-M6s that had been defending the Senate building were groups of stormtroopers. Some had their helmets off, guarding troops that had their helmets still on, their hands on their heads. Coming out of the Senate, Hux could see the former FN-2187, accompanied by two women, one he recognised from the failed Resistance plot on the Supremacy. It was clear that the Resistance were in charge, supported by the First Order’s own troops and Hux’s anger returned. The Resistance had never played by the rules, always manipulating things and playing dirty. There was no honour amongst thieves, as his father used to say. It was the only thing his father had said that he’d ever agreed with.  
‘What’s that, Supreme Leader?’ asked Sheng, not sure that he wanted to know what was going through Hux’s mind. He looked hunted, desperate.  
Just then, several ships landed to the left of their position, including Resistance and First Order models. Annoyed that they were close to the path that he wished to take along the very edge of the plaza, Hux watched as the occupants of the ships got out. His eyes were drawn towards one of the X-Wings in particular. For climbing out of the hatch, he could see General Poe Dameron, recognisable in his orange jumpsuit and decorated helmet.  
Then Hux had an idea. ‘We need to create a distraction.’  
‘What distraction?’ Karenia could not see where their leader was going with his thoughts.  
Reaching into his coat, Hux pulled out his blaster. There was an AT-M6 between him and Poe Dameron, providing him with enough cover to get close to the Resistance leader. ‘On my signal, I want you to run towards that man over there.’  
‘Which man?’ asked Sheng, terrified about what their leader was asking them to do.  
‘That man over there, the traitor FN-2187,’ said Hux, pointing him out. ‘That’s the distraction I need.’ Smiling faintly, he added quickly. ‘Thank you for your service,’ and pushed them both towards the plaza.  
As his two aides ran reluctantly out into the open, Hux crept over towards the massive war machine. Fortunately, no one was paying his part of the plaza any attention. All eyes were on the two First Order officers who had suddenly appeared, their hands in the air. Begging to be allowed to surrender.  
Heading towards his friends, Poe Dameron paused in the act of taking off his helmet. He was extremely wary. Thinking that the appearance of the aides was not a coincidence. That it was part of a plan. Nervously his eyes scanned the plaza, looking for anything that was out of place. But there was too much going on.  
‘Stay there…’ From behind the AT-M6’s huge metal leg, Hux aimed his blaster at Dameron. If he could take out at least one of the Resistance leaders, he could cause enough chaos to be able to slip round to his waiting transport and escape.  
Pulling the trigger, he watched as the laser bolts headed towards Poe, slamming into his shoulder and knocking him to the ground, as he cried out in agony.  
‘Poe!’ Across from him, Finn saw what happened, running over to help his friend.  
Satisfied, Hux turned and sprinted out from the AT-M6, heading for the street that contained the TIE, his escape route. But then he gasped as red-hot pain shot through his leg. It crumpled underneath him, and he fell to the ground, hitting the stone flags of the plaza hard enough to wind him severely. Gasping with pain, his instinct was to get up, to keep running. He had just got to his knees when he heard footsteps running up behind him.  
‘Stay where you are!’  
Looking round, Hux could see a young woman, dressed in the uniform of the Resistance soldiers, her deep brown eyes cold and hard. Behind her were two former stormtroopers, their blasters also trained on him. It was too late to run, and he closed his eyes, knowing that his fate was sealed.  
‘Don’t move or we will shoot.’  
‘I surrender,’ said Hux quietly, lifting up his hands in reluctant supplication.  
‘Get up.’ Jannah watched him warily as he struggled to his feet, his leg in agonising pain.  
‘I just need some help,’ said Hux, holding out his hand.  
Returning her blaster to her belt, Jannah, held out her hand. It was the mistake that Hux was counting on. Pulling her to him, with surprising strength, Hux manoeuvred the knife that was hidden in his sleeve until it was in his hand. But he had reckoned without Jannah’s quick reflexes. Immediately she elbowed him in the stomach hard, knocking him to the ground and kicking the knife out of his hand, to be picked up by one of the troops that were behind her. ‘You taught me well,’ she said, smiling down at Hux, her foot on his chest.  
‘You’re one of ours?’ he asked warily, breathing heavily. He could feel the beginnings of a tension headache and he blinked, trying to keep focused.  
‘I was.’  
‘Well done,’ nodded Hux, knowing that he was finished. Heaving a deep sigh, he allowed them to haul him to his feet and secure his hands tightly behind his back to be led away towards the Senate building for processing.


	54. The Shadow takes revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey are forced to confront some of their worst childhood memories. Ben's attempted murder by a droid. Rey's parents leaving her with Unkar Plutt. Then the Shadow takes its cruelest revenge yet, confining them in the darkness, reminding them of their deepest fears, and in Ben's case, the wicked things he has done. Whilst Ben is beaten down by the Shadow's constant barrage against him, Rey finds the strength to help him overcome them. But when they find themselves in the Netherworld, a place of ghosts, will they be able to finally defeat the dark forces ranged against them?

When Rey and Ben finally broke away from each other, they found to their astonishment that the forests and mountains of Kashyyyk had been replaced by a large, open-plan apartment. To one side, floor to ceiling windows led out onto a large balcony, framing the view of a curving coastline, rolling ocean and large sandy beaches. To the other side was a small kitchen area, the units obscured by a large breakfast bar. The sitting area in front of them was sparsely furnished but everything was tastefully designed and decorated in neutral colours, giving the impression of wealth but without ostentation.  
Admiring the scene, Rey was about to say something to Ben when she heard whimpering noises coming from the other side of the breakfast bar. Whatever was making the noise was hidden behind it. She could also hear a whirring sound. Going to investigate, she turned to look at Ben, only to find him rooted to the spot. All the colour had drained from his face. She had never seen him look so upset.  
The whimpering was getting louder, accompanied by a snuffling that sounded like someone crying. Leaving Ben, she hurried into the kitchen area to find the noise was coming from a small boy crouched down in front of some cupboards. Dressed lightly in a t-shirt and shorts, he had thick, dark messy hair and big brown eyes that were staring in terror at the droid in front of him. Rey could immediately see what was scaring him. The droid had a knife instead of a hand and it was slowly advancing towards him with clear purpose. To harm him.  
‘No!’ Horrified, Rey leapt forward and scooped up the child, yanking him away before the droid could strike.  
Thwarted, the droid turned round to face Rey, its eyes glowing red. It raised the knife towards her, clearly it had murderous intentions.  
Hoisting the now sobbing child over to her left hip, Rey pulled out her lightsaber and was about to decapitate the droid, when suddenly it stopped mid-movement. Its eyes changed from red to yellow, and the knife slowly folded back into its arm attachment. Confused, Rey did not know what to do.  
It was then that Ben appeared. Pushing past her to the droid, he pressed a switch at the back of its head, rendering it unconscious.  
‘Thanks.’ Rey relaxed and put her lightsaber back on her belt. Looking at the child, she saw that he had stopped crying and was regarding her curiously, clinging onto her with small, chubby hands. His deep brown eyes looked strangely familiar and suddenly she realised who the child was. ‘It’s you!’  
Ben nodded. The colour had returned to his face but he did not look happy.  
‘I can see why you don’t like droids much.’  
‘That’s an understatement.’  
Whilst adult Ben fiddled with the droid’s circuit board to make sure it had no memory of events, Rey played quietly with child Ben in the living area. She had found a red ball underneath one of the chairs and was rolling it to him; when he caught it, he rolled it back to her. It was a simple game but it seemed to delight little Ben, he was laughing and clapping his hands. His joy was infectious and soon she had almost forgotten the reason why they were there.  
‘I hate to break this up,’ said Ben from behind her, ‘but we need to go.’  
Looking round, Rey could see the droid was pottering around in the kitchen, as if nothing had happened. ‘But we can’t leave you… leave Ben with the droid, surely?’ Still playing with the ball, he was chattering away to himself. He seemed so small, so vulnerable. It seemed strange to think that the same happy little boy would grow up to be the tall, conflicted man beside her.  
‘Yes we can,’ Ben said flatly, ‘my parents used to do it all the time.’  
Suddenly, they heard the door to the apartment opening. A female voice called out, ‘Ben?’  
‘Mama!’ The little boy looked up expectantly.  
With one last glance behind her, Rey followed Ben through one of the doors that led into a small hallway. The last thing she saw was little Ben waving as Leia entered the room, then Rey found herself standing on a grassy plain. It was raining and the sky was a dull grey, thick with clouds.  
‘I don’t believe this.’ Ben was fed up.  
Shivering, she looked over to see what he was annoyed about. In the distance was a large complex of stone buildings, surrounded by a high wall. In the middle of the complex stood a peculiar looking temple, shaped like a large dome with a tall spout emerging from the centre. Several smaller huts stood outside the main complex. It reminded her of a more advanced version of the stone village on Ahch-To. Then it hit her where they were. No wonder Ben was upset. ‘Luke’s temple?’  
Ben did not look at her. He couldn’t. Why was the Shadow doing this to him?  
‘Its trying to break you,’ Rey said, coming to stand next to him. Slipping her hand through his arm, she continued, ‘But we won’t let it.’  
Ben said nothing. He felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. The joy he had felt from Rey’s confession of love for him was no longer enough to sustain him. He had been tortured by the Overseers and drained by the Shadow. They had been jumping across time and space for hours, with no food and barely any sleep, becoming mixed up in events they had no reason to be involved with. And now he had to contend with another of his most painful memories.  
Suddenly, they heard a ship passing overhead. Looking up, Rey could see it was the Falcon. Ben turned away unable to cope with the scene that he knew would be played out in front of them.  
‘We need to find cover,’ said Rey, thinking practically. As soon as anyone left the Falcon, they would see them standing in the middle of the plain.  
Reluctantly, Ben agreed. But there was no cover to be seen. No trees, no boulders. The only spot with potential was behind one of the smaller huts that stood near the temple entrance. Looking at it, Ben shuddered.  
‘What’s wrong?’ Rey tried to drag him over the grass.  
‘I can’t,’ he moaned, resisting her, ‘it’s where Luke…’  
‘It will have to do!’ Time was running out, and Rey knew that they had to act fast. The Falcon was already landing to the left of the complex, and she continued to drag a reluctant Ben over towards it.  
They made it behind the hut, just as the ramp to the Falcon came down. At the same time, a dark-clad figure came out of the temple’s entrance. Rey could see that it was Luke, looking much younger than the tortured hermit she had met on Ahch-To. His hair was dark blonde, his face smooth with an expression of calm reassurance, even serenity. His arms folded into the large sleeves of his Jedi robes, Luke stood patiently waiting for his visitors to arrive.  
Coming down the ramp was Leia and a young boy, still with the same messy black hair and dark eyes but older. Even at a distance, Rey could feel the confusion and sadness radiating out from the young Ben Solo, yet he was putting on a brave face, looking about him with interest and enthusiasm. Beside him walked Leia, dressed casually in a grey jumpsuit and jacket, looking strained but otherwise smiling. Behind followed Han, his expression noncommittal. So very Han, Rey thought.  
‘There’s Uncle Luke!’ cried Ben as soon as he saw the Jedi waiting for him, ‘Uncle Luke!’ Letting go of his mother’s hand, he ran happily towards him.  
Laughing, Luke scooped him up into a fond embrace. ‘Hey kid! How’s it going?’  
‘Great!’ said Ben happily, looking around him, his eyes full of curiosity. ‘Mum got me some robes like yours,’ he pointed out, lifting up his brown tunic to show Luke.  
‘He’s very excited,’ said Leia, coming up to them both and mussing her son’s hair playfully. ‘He couldn’t stop talking about it all the way here.’  
‘Don’t I know it,’ muttered Han, looking uncomfortable.  
‘Good,’ said Luke to Ben, who looked back at him eagerly. ‘I hope you’ll enjoy it here. Although not too much,’ he added with a smile, putting him back down on the ground. ‘A Jedi needs to be serious about their learning.’  
‘I am, Uncle Luke,’ Ben said enthusiastically, as Chewie came over with two bags, both stuffed full to bursting. ‘I’ve read everything I could find about the Jedi!’  
‘He wanted to bring all his books with him,’ said Leia apologetically.  
‘No problem,’ said Luke, glancing at Leia. ‘We can find somewhere to put them. Ben, why don’t you go and have a look round with your father, I need to talk to your mother for a moment.’  
‘Come on, Dad!’ Grabbing Han’s arm, Ben pulled him in the direction of the complex, eager to look round.  
‘Alright, kid,’ Managing a faint smile, Han headed into the temple with his son, Chewbacca lumbering along behind them with Ben’s bags.  
Luke watched them go, his smile fading. ‘He looks like he’s come to terms with it.’  
‘It took a while,’ agreed Leia, concern reflected in her eyes. ‘He’s been a bit… up and down but he seems happy enough today.’  
‘How’s Han?’  
‘He’s been… up and down too,’ said Leia wearily, ‘which hasn’t helped Ben.’  
‘He’s not come round to it then?’ Luke looked a little downcast.  
‘To be honest. No,’ said Leia bluntly. ‘I’ve tried to explain it’s for the best but… he still thinks that it’s better not to do anything until Ben’s older.’  
‘But it might be too late by then.’  
‘I know, that’s what I said.’  
As Luke and Leia continued to speak quietly together, Rey turned to Ben and immediately she felt for him. He was pale and visibly upset, suppressing most of the emotions that the scene had provoked within him. Reaching out, she put her hand on his arm, feeling his turmoil. ‘Ben?’  
‘It’s different to how I remember,’ he murmured in confusion. He was sure that he had been upset, even crying, reluctant to leave his parents. Perhaps the passage of time had clouded his memories. Or, more sinisterly, had he remembered it differently because the Shadow was manipulating his memories? He did not know.  
As Luke and Leia disappeared into the temple, Ben and Rey found themselves back in the hot desert of Jakku. They were standing near Niima Outpost, the familiar entrance archway to the marketplace only a few feet away.  
‘Come back! Come back!’  
Startled, Ben and Rey both turned towards the sound of a child crying. On the other side of the archway, a young girl, her face red and streaked with tears, hair pulled back into three messy bunches, was screaming as two figures, a man and a woman, both thin and poorly dressed, walked away from her. She was about to run after them, when a large creature, bulky and angry looking, grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back towards him.   
‘Be quiet girl,’ he hissed at her. ‘You’re mine now.’  
Horrified, Rey saw it was her. It was the same vision that she had seen in Maz’s Castle, when she had picked up the lightsaber. Hot tears sprang into her eyes. Instead of the ship blasting away into the sky, she could see her parents leaving her with Unkar Plutt. They had left her without a second glance.  
Ben put his hand on her shoulder, unsure what to say. The stark difference between their lives could not have been more evident, even if pivotal events had the same impact. Sobbing, Rey turned away from the heart-breaking scene, burying her face into Ben’s chest. Immediately his arms encircled her, holding her close, and she pressed her cheek into the softness of his thin sweater, breathing in his familiar smell, letting the tears flow freely in mourning for her lost childhood. She felt the sadness and anger of her younger self, the feeling of utter desperation that no one would ever care for her again. No wonder she had sought to suppress the memory.  
It was fortunate that she had turned away, thought Ben. He had to endure the sight of young Rey being pushed around by Unkar Plutt, forced to go with him despite her deep distress. When she refused, he slapped her around the head, knocking her to the ground. It was all Ben could do to not grab his blaster and murder the hideous creature there and then. Although he managed to control himself, he could not shake the need to do something.  
‘Hey!’   
Letting go of an astonished Rey, Ben walked over to where Unkar Plutt stood, towering over his young charge. ‘You treat this girl with more respect,’ he commanded.  
Unkar Plutt stared at him, wondering if he should know who the man was. ‘What’s it to you?’  
‘You should be ashamed of yourself,’ Ben went on. Crouching down next to the young girl, he held out his hand. ‘It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.’  
Whilst the girl stared at him in confusion, Plutt glared at the stranger but noticed that he was heavily armed. With a lightsaber. ‘She’s mine,’ he complained petulantly, ‘I’ll treat her how I like.’  
Ben looked up at him with obvious contempt. ‘Then you better watch out. Because she’s stronger than you’ll ever be.’  
Timidly, young Rey finally reached out her hand towards Ben. Taking it, he helped her to her feet. Eyes downcast, she rubbed the red mark on her head.  
‘You’ll be alright,’ he said, smiling in the hope it would give her confidence, however slight.  
‘Come on, girl.’ Something about the stranger’s demeanour and authority disturbed Plutt and he wanted to get away from him.  
‘Her name is Rey,’ Ben spat, looking at Plutt. ‘Honestly, I’ve seen people treat slaves better than how you treat her.’  
The girl raised her eyes to Ben, she looked confused. ‘You know my name?’  
‘It’s a long story,’ Ben admitted.  
‘Do I have to go with him?’ she asked sadly, looking over to where Plutt was waiting.  
Ben nodded. ‘You belong to him. For now.’ He managed another smile, ‘But one day you’ll be free. I promise.’  
‘Come on,’ said Plutt, but he sounded subdued. ‘There’s work to be done.’   
As Unkar Plutt stalked away towards the marketplace, the girl made to follow him. As she looked at Ben one last time, their eyes met for a brief moment and it cast a chill through him. He watched as she followed Plutt across the marketplace, her small figure disappearing behind the many groups of traders and travellers standing around the stalls, talking and gossiping.  
‘You said you wouldn’t interfere,’ said Rey tremulously, coming to stand beside him. She knew that she would never forget the sadness in that child’s eyes. Her eyes. But the same child would have encountered a mysterious stranger at the edge of the Niima Outpost, showing some concern, however small, for her predicament. Perhaps it would give her a bit of hope that someone, someday, might care for her.  
‘I know,’ he whispered, in agony from what the Shadow had revealed to him. ‘I was wrong. About everything.’ Although she had told him about the harshness of her life on Jakku, seeing it firsthand made him sick with anxiety and guilt. He wanted to do more, to take Rey away from the bully that would be her guardian for the next thirteen or so years. To give her the life that he had wilfully thrown away.  
‘But Snoke…’ she started to say.  
‘Snoke didn’t do anything,’ he insisted, knowing he had to admit some hard truths to himself, as well as to Rey. ‘It was all me.’  
‘What do you mean?’ asked Rey, shivering despite the hot sun overhead.  
‘I never questioned him because I wanted what he said to be true. I questioned everything else around me - my name, my legacy… my parent’s beliefs, their cause. But I never questioned Snoke and the voice in my head. And I was wrong.’  
Without warning, the sky changed and they found themselves in complete darkness. The kind of darkness that was thick and palpable, that crept into their minds and lingered there, disorientating them. Instinctively, Rey reached out for Ben’s hand, feeling better as soon as she found his fingers. But he didn’t respond. ‘Ben?’  
‘I’m not who you think I am.’ Ben sounded melancholy, ready to give up.  
‘Don’t do this,’ she insisted, moving closer until she felt the warmth of his body against hers. ‘You’re letting it win.’  
‘Can you hear that?’ Ben’s voice was loud in the silence.  
‘Hear what?’ Rey strained her ears but she could not hear anything.   
‘The voices.’ They were all around him, in his head. Whispering to him, reminding him of the past.  
He has too much Vader in him…. He would bring destruction, pain, death, and the end of everything I love because of what he will become…. Murderous snake! You’ve lost… You were unbalanced, bested by a girl who had never held a lightsaber… You are a monster…  
‘What voices?’ Her alarm grew when she realised that Ben’s mind was closed to her, she did not know what was happening to him.  
‘So many of them,’ he breathed, hardly able to speak. The despair and horror of everything he had done, his belief in the manipulations of Snoke and the darkness inside him, weighed down on him, as it always had. But without his connection to Rey he felt abandoned, lost in the horror of his own making. It was what the Shadow had wanted. It had revealed to him the suffering endured by his family, for the galaxy as well as for themselves, highlighting the selfishness of his actions in rejecting them and actively seeking to destroy them. For his fall had been yet another trauma for the Skywalker family, made worse by the sacrifices his family had made to try and bring him back to the light.   
Sensing they were in the ascendent, the voices became louder, indistinguishable except for the anger, hate and rage they represented. Over and over they reported the same terrible truths, the names of those he had murdered, the suffering and exploitation he had been responsible for as part of the First Order. Overwhelmed, Ben sunk to his knees, unable to bear it. The pain was so immense, he felt as though his head might spilt open.  
‘Stay with me.’ Crouching down, Rey reached out for him, anxious not to lose him. Reaching out blindly… until her fingers touched soft cloth. Ben’s jacket. Keeping her hands on him, she relaxed her mind, reaching out into the Force. But… she found nothing. Nothing? Where the Force should have been was an empty space. A void. Suddenly Rey felt lost, her safety net was gone. Unsure what else to do, she put her arms around Ben, leaning her head against his. Hoping that she could offer him some comfort in his distress, however small.  
Rey… Rey…   
The voice came from behind her and she resisted the effort to look round, knowing that there would be nothing but darkness there. ‘Go away.’  
The dyad was forced upon you, Rey, it said in a syrupy tone. Why would the Force connect you with a monster?   
Rey ignored it, refusing to engage. Keeping hold of Ben. Even if their connection had been severed they could still draw strength from each other. Although Ben could offer little himself. He was sobbing openly now, his shoulders heaving with each breath, cowed by the relentless pressure of the voices in his head.  
You had no choice, continued the voice to Rey, but be bound to your torturer, to the man who forced you to reveal your mind to him. The man who murdered his father, who tried to murder you and your friends, until you realised your powers and defeated him. A man who revelled in the power of the dark side, who used his powers to kill and plunder, who slaughtered his master to have more power and control. Who tried to seduce you to the dark side. You don’t love this man, you can’t. He’s the opposite of everything you stand for.  
I can’t save him. It was Luke speaking now.  
There’s too much Vader in him. That sounded like Han.  
I know my son is gone, Leia’s voice, filled with sadness.  
Then she heard Finn’s voice, Whatever he’s called, Kylo Ren. Ben Solo. It doesn’t matter. He’s still the same man who killed his father, tried to kill his Uncle and tried to kill me. How can you care for him?  
Tears filled her eyes but she held firm, ignoring the voice and its terrible implications. She knew Ben had been wrong, had been convinced to do terrible things by Snoke. But she knew that in his heart he was not evil. He had always been in conflict with the darkness inside him. Strong feelings of pain and insecurity, of fear, of anger and loneliness had skewed his perspective, which Snoke had taken advantage of, encouraging him to turn against his own nature. To destroy what had caused the pain he felt rather than confront it, and heal it. That much she believed.  
You think he cares for you, the voice said bitterly, but he only wants you for your powers, your strength. He doesn’t see you, the scared little girl from Jakku, who wants nothing more than to love, and be loved in return.  
‘I know you love me,’ she whispered, clutching Ben tightly. He had proved it, time and time again.  
And what of your friends? Your friends who doubted your powers and allowed you to go off alone with your abuser. If they really cared for you, they would have fought for you too.  
‘They do care!’ Concern for her friends, battling it out against the First Order, rose to the surface, feeding her anxiety. The Shadow had kept her away from them, trapping her in visions of the past. Although she was trying hard to fight it, the voice was beginning to get to her, stirring her emotions that, in her exhaustion, were close to overwhelming her.   
Next to her, Ben had stopped crying; he was slumped over, defeated, quietly whimpering as the Shadow continued to torment him.  
How can they? They barely know you. The daughter of filthy junk traders, who traded you for a few worthless pennies to a cheat and a bully. But no one else would have wanted you. A useless girl, desperate to belong…   
Breathing deeply to keep herself calm, Rey’s hand crept to the lightsaber at her belt. It seemed strange that neither she or Ben had thought to use it. Kissing Ben lightly on the forehead, she stood up and ignited her blade. At first, the light was too bright, too glaring. It took her eyes a moment to adjust. But then she could see her surroundings. They were in a small cavern; stalactites hung down from the roof, formed from years of mineral-rich water dripping down from the roof. Crystals glittered in the light of her blade as she moved it around, embedded into the cave walls. It was strangely beautiful.  
‘Ben, look!’   
But he didn’t respond. Glancing down, she saw him lying on the floor of the cave, his face hidden in his hands, curled up in a tight ball as if he was trying to disappear into himself.  
He doesn’t love you, came the voice, echoing through the cavern. He only loves power, his only desire is to control. Know now that the dark side will claim him, his hands are steeped in its blood and he will always be tainted!  
Looking around wildly, Rey tried to find the source of the voice but she could see no-one, except for herself and Ben.  
And you don’t love him, continued the voice, more quietly this time. You love what you want to see, what you think you saw on Ahch-To. The two of you, together as equals. But the Force lied to you - he could never love you as his equal, he will only seek to dominate and control you.  
‘No!’ Rey had had enough and she yelled out, her voice echoing back to her through the cave.  
Mocking laughter reverberated in her head. Foolish girl! You refuse to recognise the truth. You are in love with a murderer, a brutal tyrant whose only desire is to bend the galaxy to the tenets of his will!  
Almost in tears, Rey was desperate to find a way out of the nightmare. Walking around the cave, her lightsaber aloft, she looked for any entrance or exit point, however small. Finally, she saw a crack, or crevice, at the furthest end. Relief flooded through her. Going over to it, she crouched down and saw a tunnel, a very narrow, confined one but a tunnel nonetheless. She was sure that she could squeeze into it and, if he was determined to escape, Ben would too.  
But first she had to convince Ben that he could fight against the Shadow.  
Going back over to him, she propped her lightsaber up against a clump of rocks so she could see and crouched down beside him, stroking his hair gently. ‘There’s a way out of here.’  
He did not respond. His hands were clenched so tight, the knuckles were white.  
‘Ben,’ she tried again, ‘there’s a way out.’  
‘Leave me,’ he whispered, his will to live broken. The darkness had found his fear, that deep down inside he thought he was not worth saving. That he deserved to be lost to the darkness for ever. It was easy for the voices to prey on him, to stoke his fears until he readily gave into them.  
‘No, never.’ It was unthinkable after everything they had been through. ‘I love you.’  
‘How can you?’ He sounded scared and he started to cry. ‘After what I’ve done.’  
‘But you’ve changed…’  
‘Have I?’ She was so much stronger than he was. The darkness had called to her too but it had not defeated her. She had been able to resist it. It had to mean something. ‘You’re everything I’m not,’ he said miserably, thinking that she was better off without him.  
Then Rey had a flash of insight. Ben’s worst enemy was not Snoke, or the dark side. It had been himself all along. His feelings of unworthiness, of self-loathing, of failure to live up to the promise of his birthright were drowning him. Until he recognised it, and confronted it, she knew that the darkness would claim him. Gently, Rey prised his hands away from his face. ‘Look at me.’  
Reluctantly, Ben looked up. His eyes were red and swollen from weeping, filled with terror and self-loathing. So different to her eyes, which were bright and clear, shining with love and purpose.  
‘The voices are lying to you,’ she said softly, brushing his hair away from his face. ‘You’re not the same man you were when you turned to the dark side. You’ve changed. You regret what you’ve done and you’ll stop at nothing to make things right.’ Taking hold of his hands, she held them tightly. ‘You helped Poe and the Resistance to fight the First Order, you helped Kyp and her family to escape Exegol. And you’ve helped me to grow, to find my place in the Force.’  
‘It’s not enough. It’ll never be enough…’  
‘Maybe. But what good can you do stuck in here?’ Rey went on, seeing that she needed to try a different approach. One that wouldn’t give Ben a chance to disagree with her. ‘If you’re serious about making up for what you’ve done, then you need to come with me.’  
‘But we can’t get out of here.’  
‘Yes we can, there’s a tunnel over there.’  
Finally, Ben realised what she was saying to him. He had been focusing on the wrong thing. He always had been. His focus had always been inward, made worse by the dark side. It had made him selfish, uncaring, craving control. Unable to see the bigger picture of who he was and what he should be fighting for. But as Rey pointed out, he did have a better, compassionate nature, one that had always been there but had been suffocated under the obsessive focus, and rigid armour, of Kylo Ren.  
’You see?’ As he made the first step towards accepting that he was no longer the monster of his imagination, Rey felt the familiar spark of their connection return, jolting her with its intensity.   
‘But what if it’s not enough?’ No one was harder on himself than Ben was.  
‘For who?’  
‘For anyone?’  
Rey knew that it was not sufficient to tell him that he mattered, she had to make him feel her love for him too. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him, pouring all her feelings into the moment. Immediately, she felt something stirring in Ben, as if he was being revived from his despair. Their kiss deepened, reaffirming their love for each other. Pulling back, she looked at Ben and he smiled at her, the hope returned to his eyes.  
‘The Shadow told me that I would die here, alone and unloved,’ he said quietly, his fingers lingering in her hair. ‘But it’s not true, is it?’  
‘No.’ Tenderly, she kissed him again, ‘You’ll never be alone.’   
‘And neither will you.’ It was an echo of their conversation on Ahch-To, the first time he had begun to believe that their connection was more than an accident, that it had purpose. ‘You saved me…’ he started to say.  
‘We save each other,’ she said firmly. ‘We’re a team.’  
They both felt the taint of darkness melting away, vanishing from the cave.  
‘It can’t get to us anymore,’ realised Ben, as he got to his feet. ’It has nothing we need.’  
‘No,’ said Rey, smiling at him happily, ‘we have everything we need. Here.’ And she put her hand on her heart.  
They embraced each other tightly, knowing that their strength lay in each other as much as their individual powers. The Shadow was trying to separate them because it knew it too.  
‘I love you,’ Ben said simply. ‘It always was you.’  
‘I know.’ Looking back, even when they’d been in the grip of hatred for each other, there had always been something there, lurking underneath it all. Not attraction as such, that had come later, but a sympathy that had blossomed into what had become an intense connection.  
‘Come on,’ said Ben eventually, kissing the top of her head. ‘Where’s this exit of yours?’  
As Rey led him over to the tunnel, Ben could not help marvelling at the crystal formations that grew around it but he did not like the look of their only escape route. ‘It’s a bit narrow.’  
There was also no way to tell where they would end up, ‘Do we risk it?’  
‘We have to.’ Unfortunately, they had no other option.  
‘Hold this.’ Passing her lightsaber to Ben, Rey crouched down and entered into the tunnel. It was narrower than she expected, the walls bumping and scraping against her as she crawled along. Soon, her knees were chafing on the hard stone and her back and head were hurting from colliding with the roof. She wondered how Ben would manage it, being taller and bulkier than her. Soon she had her answer. As Ben extinguished the lightsaber and entered the tunnel behind her, she could hear loud cursing and muttering.  
‘I hope there’s nothing alive in here,’ he said, before bumping his head. ‘Ow!’   
‘Alright back there?’ Rey did not dare stop, knowing that Ben would plough straight into her in the darkness.  
‘What do you think?’ he grumbled, then he added, trying to be positive, ‘Any sign of the end yet?’  
‘Not yet.’ She continued to crawl along in silence, reaching out her hand in the dark to follow the shifts and turns of the tunnel. She wondered what had carved it out, perhaps a river or stream which had long since dried up.  
There was more cursing from behind her. ‘Seriously, how much further?’  
Straining her eyes, Rey realised that she could make out something in the distance. Tiny pinpricks of light, bright against the darkness. Excited, she called back to Ben, ‘I think I can see stars!’  
‘Keep going,’ he encouraged her, forcing his own tired limbs onwards. There was barely any space between him and the edges of the tunnel and the cramps in his arms and legs were becoming unbearable. But faced with the alternative of ending his days stuck in a dark, cold cave, he convinced himself that the pain was insignificant.  
‘Nearly there,’ Rey could see the edges of the tunnel now, leading outside. It spurred her on, and soon she was poking her head out of the hole, looking down a cliff face to a barren landscape below. There was nothing but grey rocks, dust, and the huge dark sky, scattered across with millions of stars. Despite the bleakness, it enchanted her.  
Ben caught up with her, impatiently he tried to see past her. ‘What’s out there?’  
‘Wait a minute,’ she cautioned, trying to see how she could wriggle out of the tunnel without landing on the rocky ground below. ‘It’s not easy.’  
‘Really? You’re kidding me,’ grunted Ben, taking the opportunity to stretch himself out flat in the tunnel, easing the pain in his arms and legs.  
‘Hang on.’ Rey wriggled herself out of the hole head first, emerging onto the cliff face. With a great deal of effort, she managed to grab hold of some rocks, drag her legs out and swing round so that she was hanging from the rocks by her hands. The drop to the ground was not as far as she expected and, tensing herself, she leapt down, dropping and rolling to absorb the impact. ‘I’m out,’ she called to Ben, picking herself up and dusting herself down.  
Ben’s head popped out of the hole. ‘How?’  
‘Lower yourself down and grab onto those rocks below.’ Momentum would do the rest.  
Trying to contain his anxiety, Ben did as she suggested. He was far less graceful than her, but eventually he was standing beside her, pleased to be back on solid ground. Handing her lightsaber back, he looked around him. ‘This place doesn’t feel right.’   
It reminded him of a moon he had visited with Luke long ago to find a lost Jedi outpost. That had been as barren and cold as this. But he agreed with Rey, the skies were amazing, the lack of competing light revealing all the mysteries and wonders of deep space. As well as the stars, they could see glimpses of other phenomena, the hazy light cast by a dying star, stars being born in faraway nebula, a lonely comet streaking across space, wandering clouds of dust and gas.  
Knowing how close Ben had come to giving up, Rey guessed that their connection was the only thing keeping him going. She reached out for his hand. When he took it, she said solemnly, ’I won’t let go, if you won’t.’  
‘Never.’ He grasped her fingers tightly, realising that the Shadow had tried to break them apart in the cave. And it had almost succeeded. If it had not been for Rey’s quick thinking, he knew he would have been lost. He owed her his life.  
Hand in hand, they jogged across the flat, barren plain. Immense, jagged cliffs of grey stone were the only landmarks, part of a mountain range that stretched far into the distance. Strange mists curled around the tops of the highest peaks, obscuring their summits from the ground. There was no colour other than grey, no vegetation, no sign of life. The sense of absence was remarkable, even after their experience on Exegol. The air too tasted flat and lifeless. They could breathe perfectly well but there was no nourishment in it.  
As they hurried along, Rey could see that some of the mists were creeping down the mountain, as if heading towards them. She pointed this out to Ben, who immediately came to a halt.  
‘It’s not mist,’ he said in wonder, ‘it’s ghosts.’  
‘Ghosts?’ What could he see that she could not? She shivered, reminded of the Shadow.  
‘Don’t be afraid,’ Ben said softly, squeezing her fingers reassuringly. ‘We know them.’   
As they stood watching, the mists crept around them, surrounding them. Vague shapes formed in front of them. Within the mist Rey could see the faces of loved ones that had been lost to them - Leia, Han, Luke - and others that they did not know. Human and non-human, male, female and other, old and young. Their expressions were calm, filled with peace.  
Why are you here? Voices whispered around them, both indistinct and clear. The Netherworld is not for the living.  
‘We followed the Shadow here,’ said Ben, addressing what he assumed to be Luke, but it was hard to tell. The faces shifted and changed as the mists swirled around them, almost as if they were drawing on some unknown, but imperfect, energy source in order to manifest for them.  
The Shadow?   
‘We found it on Exegol,’ explained Rey, ‘it’s older than time itself. But the pain in the galaxy made it grow stronger.’  
The voices whispered urgently. Ben and Rey drew closer together, wondering what they were saying. As they watched, the mist began to coalesce together, gathering itself to form a single humanoid shape, its features still shifting and changing but eventually these settled into the familiar face of Luke Skywalker.  
We know the Shadow, said Luke, it has existed under many names, for many centuries. Sidious’ hate gave it strength, and it found new influence with Snoke. But together, you can heal the wounds of the past. The mist shifted and changed again to form a younger man with a proud bearing. His long hair was swept back from his forehead, revealing a thin scar running down the right side of his face. You must bring balance as I once did, said Anakin sombrely, powerful light and powerful darkness, you represent the strength of the Force.  
As the mists encircled them, Ben and Rey felt a great surge of energy flooding through them, replenishing and reviving them. The Force had connected them for a reason, but the darkness had nearly forced them apart. They had healed themselves through love and now they were ready to restore peace throughout the galaxy. The Shadow may have weakened them, but their exposure to the spirits of the Jedi restored them.  
Thousands of generations are with you now, they heard Luke’s voice say, but the mist’s features shifted to form Leia, her expression kind and filled with love. She held out her hands to Ben and Rey, who took them, surprised to find they felt almost solid, if whispery and cold. You are our hope, my beloved. Use the Force, it will guide you. The power surged through them again, filling them with calm purpose.  
But then lighting spilt the sky overhead, a sense of dread pervading the atmosphere. The ghosts felt it too, the figure of Leia disintegrating back into formless shapes that swirled around Ben and Rey.  
The Shadow is coming, they heard the voices say before the mists started to retreat back into the mountains.  
They remained at the bottom of the cliffs, gathering their courage for the inevitable confrontation. Across the plains they could see a great dark Shadow fast approaching. As the sky was rent apart by the lightning, Ben turned to Rey.  
‘Whatever happens, I want you to know…’  
‘Don’t,’ said Rey vehemently, shaking her head. ‘We will get through this.’  
I wish I had your confidence.  
You do, she insisted, we’re a dyad, two that are one.  
Then you have my pessimism as well.  
Rey glared at him, ‘You’re not helping.’  
‘I know, I’m sorry.’ He kissed her softly on the forehead. ‘As my Dad once said, women are always right. Even when they’re wrong.’  
‘You’re not funny either.’   
The Shadow seemed to have grown larger than ever, filling the plains in front of them with an enormous, churning cloud of dark energy that ripped up the ground as it sped towards them.   
‘How do we stop it?’ Rey wondered.  
‘Too late!’  
The Shadow was upon them and there was no time to run, they would have to go over it. As the Shadow roared towards them, Ben and Rey leapt high into the air, somersaulting over it, their abilities increased by the power of the Jedi that they carried within them. Behind the cloud, they slammed into the ground, crouched ready for action as the Shadow came to a halt in front of them.  
You cannot vanquish me. Its voice filled their minds, quietly terrifying. Nothing can harm me. Your weapons are useless. Your cause is lost.  
‘We have hope!’ shouted Rey, reaching out towards Ben. They clasped hands firmly.  
The Shadow swirled around them, growing in menace. You may have hope but tell that to those who feel pain, despair, anger, hate… they are my children. It filled their minds with images of suffering, of trauma and horror, hoping to break them as it had broken Ben within the cave. You can never eradicate me. I will always be with you.  
‘We don’t want to eradicate you,’ said Ben, no longer denying his past but accepting it.  
‘It’s part of life,’ agreed Rey, ‘we carry it with us as memory.’  
‘By accepting it, we can start to heal.’ The wisdom came from inside them, as if they had known it all along.  
‘And together we can bring peace to the galaxy. Real peace.’ Not the controlled, violent suppression of the Empire and the First Order but a real understanding of what it meant to live a good life, of freedom, fairness and wellbeing.  
As if about to meditate, Ben and Rey closed their eyes and connected their minds, filling them with images of hope and light, fuelled by the memories of the Jedi. They saw a young child, smiling and happy, in the arms of his mother. They saw their friends, Finn, Rose and Jannah, their faces open and trusting, laughing together at some funny story. They saw the many Jedi masters and padawans throughout history, training and learning about the mysteries of the Force together. They saw Leia, reunited with her brother, sharing a tender moment. These and many more images crowded into their shared mind and they could feel the influence of the Shadow waning as the light radiated out from them, carried by the Force. Engulfed by it, the Shadow grew smaller and smaller until, opening their eyes, Ben and Rey saw that it had shrunk down to their size, a roughly humanoid shape, once more devoid of features.  
Pulling back its arm, the Shadow concentrated all of its remaining power into a tremendous surge of dark energy that it flung towards them. Impulsively, Ben threw himself between Rey and the Shadow, taking the brunt of it straight in the chest. The impact ripped him away from Rey and sent him flying backwards into the air. He hit the cliffs behind and fell to the ground, slumped over, unconscious.  
‘Ben!’ Screaming with rage, Rey grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it. But the Shadow was too quick and it easily evaded her, gliding quickly away. Cruelly, it picked up Ben’s body and dashed him against the rocks a second time, flinging him back down onto the ground.  
Incensed, Rey ran towards it and swung her lightsaber at the Shadow but like before it had no effect.  
You cannot fight a Shadow, it laughed at her. It was waiting for her, goading her to attack again. As with Ben, it had found her weakness. It had hurt someone she cared for and it was using her fear and anger to grow larger again, to nourish itself.  
Forcing herself to calm down, Rey relaxed her mind, reaching into the Force for guidance. As she did so, she felt something sticking into her side. It was the knife. How had she forgotten it? Relief flooded through her as she unhooked it from her belt. Beaumont’s words echoed in her mind, To destroy the knife you have to return it. To the darkness.  
Rising up to her full height, she faced the Shadow bravely. It laughed at her again, Stupid girl, what use is that puny knife on me?  
Raising Desoloas’ knife high, she ran at the Shadow, stabbing it into what she assumed was its centre. The Shadow howled as the knife made contact with it, writhing in pain and anguish as the same dark side energy that had been infused into the knife entered into its being. Stubbornly, Rey held on, making sure that the knife stayed locked in place, but the effort was immense, the agony unbearable and she felt her resolve weakening. Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, she held on and on until with a huge burst of light, the knife and the Shadow exploded into thousands upon thousands of particles of dark energy. The impact threw her backwards and she fell heavily to the ground, the fragments whirling around her, getting faster and faster as the remains of the Shadow spun into a terrifying wind. Stretching out her hand, Rey tried to get up but she felt the darkness closing in, filling her mind with its tendrils. Then, just as she lost consciousness, the last thing Rey thought was, Ben.


	55. Triumph of the Resistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyp and Rendol go out for the day, exploring the mountains of Takodana. When they get back, Maz has good news for them. But Kyp hopes that they haven't forgotten about Exegol.

On Takodana, Kyp allowed herself a rare day off from working in the kitchens. Together with Rendol, she had decided to explore the beautiful surroundings of the ruined castle, starting with a walk that took them alongside the lake that flooded the valley. In the end, they ended up hiking for several hours, exploring the mountains; climbing up paths of scree, peering into dark caves that went deep into rocky cliffs, and wondering through woods filled with an overabundance of wildlife and birdsong. It was nothing like the desolation of Exegol, and, as Kyp reflected, almost too much for their senses all at once.  
‘I could stay here forever,’ sighed Kyp, as they sat at the edge of the lake, dipping their footsore toes into the water and looking out over it towards the mountains on the other side. ‘I’ve never felt so at peace.’  
Wiggling his toes at a curious fish, Rendol nodded. ‘Yes, it is very pretty. But don’t you miss the hustle and bustle of the city?’  
‘Sometimes,’ Kyp admitted. ‘It would be nice to go and have a look in some shops from time to time. And I suppose, apart from the nice walks, there’s not that much to do here…’  
‘There’s nobody to save, you mean,’ laughed Rendol, knowing his wife inside and out. He knew that she was lost without a project or problem to solve.  
‘Yeah, I know.’ Kyp laughed at herself. ‘I’m sure once the First Order have gone, they’ll be plenty to do.’  
Putting their socks and boots back on, they started the short walk back to Maz’s hostelry. The light was starting to wane as the sun sunk lower behind the mountains and a chill wind was setting in, coming down from the mountains and across the lake.   
‘Someone’s having a party.’  
As they got nearer to the tents, the sounds of wild revelry could be heard, more-so than was usual for the enthusiastic patrons of Maz’s home-brewed alcohol. Several customers were outside, dancing and singing with great abandon. As Kyp and Rendol walked past them towards the marquee, they raised their drinks towards them, shouting excitedly in an unintelligible language.  
‘What’s going on?’ frowned Kyp, pushing aside the flap that led into the largest tent.  
‘You’re back!’ As soon as she saw them, Minna ran over, her eyes wide with excitement. ‘Have you heard the news?’  
‘What news?’ asked Rendol, trying very hard to hear what she was saying over the general noise.  
‘No! What’s happened?’ Like her partner, Kyp could hardly hear anything over the noise of the band or the drunken singing and shouting.  
'The First Order have surrendered to the Resistance!’ shouted Minna, grabbing Kyp tightly around the neck and swinging her around. ‘The war’s over!’  
‘What?’ Kyp could hardly believe her ears.  
‘Coruscant and Naboo have fallen,’ continued Minna, whirling Kyp around into a crazy dance, whilst Rendol took the news in, a grin spreading across his face.   
‘What?’ Trying to free herself from Minna’s crazy antics, Kyp stood and stared at her. ‘Really?’  
‘Yes! It’s okay!’ reinforced Minna, accepting Rendol’s arm instead as he twirled her around and around, ‘The Resistance have won!’  
‘Thank the Force!’ Overwhelmed, it finally sunk in for Kyp that the Resistance had won against the First Order. Soon she was crying tears of joy, hugging Minna, Rendol and any children that strayed into her orbit, celebrating as wildly as everyone else.  
‘Woo-hoo!’ There was a happy shout as Maz Kanata appeared, bringing a tray of drinks over for Kyp, Rendol, and her family. ‘I can see you’ve heard the news!’ she said to Kyp, who clutched her tight as soon as Maz had put the drinks down.  
‘Yes, Minna told us.’ Kyp wiped her eyes, hardly able to believe it. ‘When did this happen?’  
‘Whilst you were in the mountains,’ explained Maz, as they sat down together, the children still wildly dancing around the table with Minna. ‘Reports were slow at first but it’s been on the HoloNet all afternoon. First, Naboo fell, then Coruscant. Then the Supreme Leader was captured after he shot Poe Dameron…’  
‘Poe Dameron was shot?’ Kyp’s eyes widened significantly.  
‘Yes, he was badly wounded but they are reporting now that he is stable. Although, it will be a long time, I think, until he will be back on his feet.’  
‘Any news of Rey and Ben?’  
‘I didn’t see any,’ said Maz, ‘but that doesn’t mean to say that they’re not safe and well somewhere.’  
‘They’re probably celebrating somewhere with the rest of the Resistance,’ said Rendol reassuringly, who was leaning over the back of his wife’s chair.  
Kyp wanted to believe that it was true, although she was still surprised that neither of them had attempted to contact her.  
‘Finally the war is over,’ said Maz, leaning back into her chair. ‘I was thinking about letting off some fireworks once it gets dark.’  
‘Oh the children will love that,’ agreed Rendol, ‘do you want some help setting them up?’  
‘Yes, if you don’t mind.’  
As Rendol went through the happy throng with Maz to sort out the fireworks, Kyp realised with a start that the war wasn’t entirely over yet. Perhaps the Resistance had forgotten about the small matter of the planet-wrecking ships on Exegol. It was not a stretch of the imagination to think that if any of the remaining First Order leaders made it to Exegol, they would find a ready-made fleet and hundreds of obedient humans to staff them.  
‘Wait a minute!’ Leaving Minna with the children, she ran quickly after Rendol and Maz.


	56. Stranded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey wakes up alone on Ahch-To, the Shadow's final act of revenge for the violence she used. Not knowing where Ben, or her friends are, her first problem is how to get off the island.

With a start, Rey woke up. The first thing she heard was the gentle lapping of water against rock. Confused, she sat up, looking around her. She found herself in a cave, dank and echoey. In front of her was a wall of fractured glass, shining darkly in the moonlight.   
I know this place.  
Then she realised where she was. It was the mirror cave. On Ahch-To. And the mirror showed that she was alone.   
‘Oh no. No!’  
Jumping to her feet, she looked around wildly. But she was alone, there was no one else in the cave with her. Tears flooded her eyes. Going over to the mirror, without quite knowing why, she pressed her cheek to it, whispering brokenly, ‘Ben?’  
In the dim light beyond the mirror, she saw someone was there. Her own reflection?  
I’m here.  
Hearing his voice, she looked around her again. ‘Where?’  
Not there. In here.  
Reaching up, she put her fingers flat against the cave wall. On the other side, a hand reached out to join them. Immediately, emotions flooded through her, of love, even relief. The light in the mirror shifted, revealing the faint shape of Ben, dark hair swept back from his long face, his eyes gazing longingly into hers.  
There’s not much time.  
‘Where are you?’  
I don’t know, but it’s cold. Where are you?  
‘Ahch-To.’ Tears escaped from her eyelids, balancing on the edge of her nose. 'I miss you.'  
We’ll find each other, I promise.  
Already she could feel his presence fading. ‘I love you.’  
I love you.   
They had spoken at the same time. Then Ben was gone. It was the Shadow’s final revenge. The act of violence by Rey had been repaid. It had broken them apart as it had threatened to do.  
Exhausted, Rey lay down where she was and closed her eyes, immediately falling into a deep sleep. She slept for a long time, waking up to find bright sunlight streaming into the cave. Climbing out into the fresh air, she found blue skies with a few clouds, the porgs wheeling around the tall, jagged cliffs. For a moment she stood, experiencing the moment. She breathed in the fresh sweetness of the air and felt the warmth of the sun on her face. All around her were the sounds of the porgs as they swooped and dived around the cliffs, the crash of the waves below.  
Yet questions still nagged at her. What had happened to her friends? Where was Ben? Was he even alive? But she clung to the slim hope that he was, that he had woken up somewhere as confused as she was. What was it he had said? We’ll find each other again. He had been part of her past and would be part of her future, she would make sure of it.  
Heading down the hill, she came to the stone village, the small collection of huts perched precariously above the ocean. Everything was the same as when she had last visited. In Luke’s hut, the large chests of clothes were tidy and recently polished. His Jedi artefacts were carefully stowed away on the shelves. A small tray of food and drink had been left sitting by the door.  
Wait a minute. Rey looked again. It was a tray of fresh food and drink. The Caretakers must have known someone was here and, as they had always done, left refreshment. Like before there was a fresh fish, trimmed and cooked, alongside some homemade bread. A cup of green milk sat next to it. Ravenous, she ate the fish and the bread and drunk the milk as quickly as she could, cramming it into her empty stomach. That’s better. She offered up a silent thank you to the Caretakers.  
Her physical needs nourished, she went back outside into the sunlit morning. There was only one more question left to answer. How was she going to get off the island?  
Then she remembered. Luke’s ship.


	57. The end of the First Order

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Jannah are in the Senate building, working out what needs to be done to restore the Republic and capture the last remnants of the First Order. Finn remembers that he promised to visit Poe, who is recovering from Hux's attempt to kill him in the medical centre. Alone at last, the two men finally give into feelings that have brewing for a long time. When Rose arrives to see them, she gets more than she bargained for!

In the Chancellor’s office, Finn was sat to one side of the main desk, reading a data-pad, catching up on what was happening now that most of the First Order leadership had handed themselves in. With Rose and Connix’s help, he had set up a makeshift communications network in the office, collecting information from all over the galaxy through Threepio’s droid network and the informers that had been helping the Resistance throughout the conflict. From what Finn could gather, the gist of the information was that a spate of uprisings were taking place across First Order space, with even the Core Worlds turning against their former leaders. As Finn read with satisfaction, the stormtrooper rebellion had been successful, spreading across to most of the squads that were stationed across planets and in the fleets, and inspiring civilians to rise up against the First Order too. Only a few hardcore supporters of the First Order remained at large, including Commander Trach who had managed to escape in the Brutalist. There were rumours circling that he had made contact with the Derriphan and was heading to Exegol to regroup and muster reinforcements. One of the first things that Finn set in motion, therefore, was to send the Resistance fleet, along with a sizeable force of loyal deserters made up of troops from Cammie and Jannah’s former squadrons, to Exegol. Their only orders were to take control of any Star Destroyers and other technology before it could get into the hands of Trach or any other of the remaining First Order leaders.  
Outside, life was slowly getting back to normal with the lifting of the curfew. Already, the skyways were streaming with traffic, weaving their way in and around the buildings. Shops and businesses were reopening, and there was a steady crowd of people coming to look at the ruined plaza. Cordoned off, it was still a scene of devastation, the shattered buildings propped up with whatever was to hand, amidst the remains of the AT-M6s and bits of broken ship and stormtrooper armour.  
‘Hey.’  
The soft voice made Finn look up. It was Jannah, carrying two cups of caf. ‘Oh, you’re a lifesaver,’ said Finn, taking one of the cups from her. ‘Thanks.’  
‘No worries.’ Jannah took a seat beside him on the couch. There was a large patch of bacta on her face, covering her wound, but she was looking, and feeling, much better after a rest and some proper food. She glanced around the room, looking over at where Connix was monitoring the flood of information coming in, helped by D’Arcy and Chireen. Wondering how she could tell Finn her news. ‘I’ve heard from Lando,’ she said eventually.  
‘At last!’ said Finn happily, although he could sense a note of sadness in her voice. They’d got some general news from Naboo, but only to say that the blockade had been broken and the Queen, and the Gungans, had retaken their planet. ‘How’s he doing? How’s Chewie?’  
Jannah looked sombre, knowing what she was about to tell him. ‘Dad’s doing okay. He sustained significant injuries when the Falcon crashed on Theed. But Chewie…’ Jannah stopped for a moment, gathering herself together. ‘Chewie didn’t make it. Neither did Prue.’  
‘What?’ Feeling devastated, Finn put the data-pad down. ‘Chewie and Prue are… gone?’  
‘Yes. Chewie died in the crash and Prue… Prue died taking the palace. Cammie was with her.’  
Finn felt awful. Not only had Prue and Cammie lost each other, they’d lost the opportunity to find their real families. ‘We’ll have to contact their families, let them know what happened.’  
‘I think that’s the least we can do for all of them that have gone,’ added Jannah, staring down into the brown, featureless caf. It would be a daunting task but with every body came their callsign, etched into their armour. ‘I’ve already asked those doing the, er, clean-up to make sure they keep a record of everyone who is found.’  
Together, they shared a moment of silence for their lost friends. For Chewie, Prue and MC, for LF-1977 and LF-2005, for Thwisp, for Cammie, and for everyone who had lost their lives for the cause.  
Jannah remembered that they had not heard back from all their friends. ’Have you heard from Rey and Ben yet?’  
‘No. But we’ve tracked Rey’s beacon to Ahch-To…’  
‘Ahch-To? What are they doing there?’ Jannah was confused, she thought they would be on Exegol. Although there had been attempts to communicate with Ben’s ship, they had not managed to track either of the two Jedi down.  
‘I don’t know, but we’re gonna send a ship out to find them, just as soon as there’s one free. Most of them have already been sent out to round up the rest of the First Order ships or to Exegol so things are a bit tight at the moment.’ Something started bleeping in Finn’s pocket and he pulled out his communicator. ‘Dammit, is that the time?’ Quickly throwing down the rest of his caf, he handed the data-pad over to Jannah. ‘I promised I’d go and see how Poe’s doing, and collect Rose on the way back.’  
‘How is she?’ Jannah perked up at the mention of Rose. She felt awful about pushing her so hard after MC’s death. Poor Rose had spent several days in the medical centre, suffering from trauma and the after-effects of witnessing so much bloodshed, and Jannah could not help feeling responsible.  
‘Fine I think, she just needs another check-up before they let her go.’ Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss to Jannah’s cheek. ‘I’ll catch you later. Hold the fort for me, whilst I’m gone?’  
‘Of course, General,’ Jannah smiled at him as he left the office, pulling on his coat, ‘Give Rose and Poe my love!’  
‘I will,’ he called out, and disappeared out of the door.  
It was a long walk to the medical centre with the main plaza out of bounds, so Finn hopped into one of the passing speeders that were available for hire, joining the continuous streams of traffic that characterised Coruscant’s skyways. As they passed over the plaza, Finn looked down to see some of the work that was being done to clean up the mess. Bits of AT-M6 were being winched out of the square, whilst several droid-excavators were tidying up the remains of the damaged and broken buildings before they could be restored to their former glory. As the speeder headed into the city centre, he was pleased to see how busy it was. There were people walking to work, shopping, meeting their friends for a caf in one of the many cafes. Finn felt pleased that the shadow of the First Order had now gone from peoples’ lives, there were no military patrols or war machines to terrify and force people into submission. In the interim, whilst a new government was being established, there had been a slight rise in criminal behaviour, some looting of shops and arson. There was still the need for a military presence. But it was far less than that of the First Order, and the Resistance soldiers blended quietly into the background.  
‘It’s good to see things returning to normal,’ said the driver, a talkative Aqualish. They had slowed down in the busy traffic, waiting to enter the Vanis Tunnel that would take them to the eastern side of the city.  
’It is,’ agreed Finn, about to regale the driver with a few of his stories when suddenly the speeder slammed to a halt, throwing Finn hard against the back of the seat. ‘Hey!’  
The Aqualish cursed in three different languages, gesturing angrily at another speeder which had cut in front of him. ‘Where did you learn to drive?’ he yelled, beeping his horn loudly as the traffic started to move again. ‘Tatooine?’  
Reaching the medical centre, Finn queued up with the rest of the visitors to find out which room Poe was in. Despite being high up in the Resistance hierarchy, Finn did not seek any special favours, but he was aware of people looking and pointing at him. No doubt recognising him from the many HoloNet stories that had been broadcast in recent days. It did not take long for the murmurs of recognition to start spreading around the entire queue and Finn began to feel self-conscious, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor.  
‘Excuse me?’  
Finn looked up to see a Gabdorin staring at him. ‘Hi.’  
‘I wanted to say congratulations,’ said the Gabdorin in broken Basic, ‘for helping to save us from the First Order.’  
‘Thank you. But I couldn’t have done it without my team,’ said Finn humbly, wishing that either Jannah or Rose were with him to deflect the attention away from himself. ‘Or without the First Order, actually…’  
‘Why do you say that?’ asked another person in the queue, a nosy Twi-lek woman.  
‘Yeah what do they have to do with it?’ said the Gabdorin, puzzled by his response.  
Finn smiled, ‘I meant the stormtroopers really. Without them refusing to fight the First Order, it would have been much harder to get them to surrender. So we owe them a debt of thanks too.’  
Lead by the Gabdorin, the crowd burst into spontaneous applause, as well as other gestures that signalled appreciation on non-human planets, leaving Finn flushed with embarrassment. He smiled brightly, catching the eyes of as many citizens as he could, silently wishing that the queue was shorter and he could hurry up and be served. He was itching to see Poe, as well as get away from the adulation.  
‘You were a former stormtrooper,’ said a man behind him, ‘I saw it on the HoloNet.’  
‘Yes I was,’ said Finn, turning back to look at him. He was about to say something more when the man gestured in front of them both. ‘You’re up now.’  
Turning round, Finn could see that one of the reception droids was finally free, ‘Uh, thanks.’  
Handed his ticket by the reception droids, Finn rocketed up in the lift to one of the higher floors, where Poe had been granted a large, private room. There, Finn found him sitting up in bed, reading one of a huge pile of data-pads that had been delivered to his room. He was naked from the waist up, covered in bacta sleeves that were slowly helping his shoulder wound to heal.  
‘Hey buddy!’ As soon as he saw Finn, Poe put the data-pad down and gave him a big smile. ‘How’s my favourite, general?’  
‘Mixed,’ admitted Poe, drawing up a chair beside the bed. ‘It’s good news about Naboo but… we lost Chewie.’  
‘And Prue,’ nodded Poe, who had been keeping himself up to date. His smile fell and he looked away. ‘It’s a bittersweet victory, that’s for sure.’  
‘And no sign of Rey and Ben either,’ said Finn, stirring his foot around on the floor.  
‘But her beacon’s been tracked to Ahch-To,’ Poe pointed out.  
‘How do you know all this?’ asked Finn, looking at him incredulously. He would have thought that Poe would have taken the time to rest, recover. But apparently not.  
‘Connix is keeping me updated,’ said Poe, picking up one of the data-pads beside him. ‘I need to stay in touch, there’s nothing much else to do here.’  
‘That’s true,’ said Finn, looking around. Apart from the bed, there was a couple of chairs, large windows out onto a rooftop garden, and a screen on the back wall. Beside the bed were several machines, measuring Poe’s heartbeat, breathing and other vital signs.  
’So you know about Exegol?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘That Hux and the rest of the High Command are being kept securely in an undisclosed location?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘That Rose is being discharged this afternoon?’  
‘No, I didn’t know that,’ admitted Poe, pleased to hear some good news for a change. ‘That’s great to hear. Don’t work her too hard at first.’  
‘I won’t.’  
There was a silence as the two men looked at each other, taking stock of what had happened.  
‘We won.’ Now that he had time to reflect on what had happened, Finn felt like he was in a daze, or a daydream. He couldn’t take it in.  
‘What was it like? When you, Jannah and Rose stood in the Senate building for the first time?’  
‘Honestly? It was amazing,’ reflected Finn, trying to remember the tumult of feelings. ‘I can’t wait until you can come and see it for yourself.’  
‘Neither can I.’ As Poe looked at Finn, he felt something stirring in his heart, Something that had been locked away for far too long. Tremulously, he reached out his hand towards Finn, wanting to convey to him how much he meant to him. ‘Look Finn, I should have told you something a long time ago. Something important. I kept putting it off and putting it off, and in the end, I never said it. When I should have.’  
‘What?’ Finn was almost shaking, the feelings that he could sense around Poe made him feel giddy. There was attraction, desire and an intense longing that he had only felt once before - between Ben and Rey. Did Poe - could Poe - love him as much as he wanted him to love him?  
‘When Hux shot me I thought I was a goner. It made me realise I should say it.’ Finn was looking at him searchingly, and Poe felt self-conscious. The usually confident, experienced pilot had never felt so nervous before telling someone his feelings. ‘I er… I love you.’  
‘Love you too, buddy,’ said Finn, trying to make light of the situation, just in case he had misconstrued what Poe was trying to say.  
‘No, Finn. I love you.’ Poe reached out his hand towards him. ‘Really love you.’  
Taking Poe’s smooth, warm fingers in his own, Finn realised that he wasn’t in a dream, and he had heard Poe correctly. ‘You do?’  
‘I do.’  
‘Then why didn’t you say so!’ There was no reason to hold back, and Finn leaned over towards Poe to kiss him, keeping his eyes on his and pressing his mouth to Poe’s mouth. A thrill of excitement coursed through him as Poe returned the kiss, his lips soft and dry. Finn was slow and hesitant at first, after all he had never kissed anyone like this before, but with Poe’s gentle encouragement, and Finn’s growing confidence, their kiss quickly deepened.  
‘I wanted to tell you before we left for Coruscant,’ explained Poe when they had broken off, their fingers still entwined. ‘I just… I didn’t want to distract you, or me, from what we had to do.’  
‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Finn softly, running his finger down the side of Poe’s face, feeling the smooth skin that turned rough just where his stubble was poking through, looking into his beautiful, expressive eyes. ‘We’re both here now.’  
Their lips met again, this time more passionately as the romantic feelings that had built up between them over their years of their friendship tumbled out. Grabbing hold of Finn’s shirt, Poe pulled him over onto the bed so that he could hold him close, and his hands were soon running all over Finn’s body. Encouraged, Finn dared to touch the warm skin of Poe’s chest, inciting a fiery excitement inside him that threatened to boil over.  
The door opened softly and Rose bounced in, ready to say hello to her two friends. What she saw stopped her in her tracks, and she coughed loudly.  
Startled by her appearance, Finn and Poe paused mid-kiss, exchanging slightly embarrassed looks as they extracted themselves from each other.  
‘Uh, hey Rose,’ said Finn, removing his hand from Poe’s chest and trying to look like nothing untoward had been happening.  
‘Hey Rose,’ said Poe, patting Finn on the shoulder to make it look like his hand had meant to be there all along.  
‘Well, it’s about time!’ said Rose, laughing at them both. ‘I thought you two would never get it together.’  
‘We were fighting a war, you know,’ said Poe, rolling his eyes, but he was pleased to see that Rose accepted them as a couple already. He also was pleased to see that Finn remained on the bed, close to him. ‘Come and sit down.’  
As Rose took a seat on the empty chair, Finn asked her how she was feeling. ‘Much better, thank you. The bacta’s worked its magic.’  
‘They’re discharging you?’  
Rose nodded, ‘I’m free as of today. There’s just some paperwork to fill in and then I can go. But tell me,’ she went on, more interested in finding out how the two of them had finally got together, ‘how long have you two…?’  
‘Er, literally just now,’ said Finn, smiling over at Poe. ‘I think it’s safe to say, we’ve had a long, slow build up.’  
‘Too slow,’ murmured Poe, who had been harbouring feelings for Finn ever since they had first met, when Finn had saved his life.  
‘Tell me about it,’ said Rose with a sigh, ‘me and Jannah had a bet on who would admit that they loved each other first. You two, or Rey and Ben.’  
‘So who did you bet on?’ Finn almost didn’t want to ask, he had no idea what Rose and Jannah had been talking about in their spare time.  
‘I bet on you two,’ said Rose with a big smile, ‘which makes me very happy. Jannah was so certain that it would be Rey and Ben.’  
‘It’s only because you’re in here,’ said Finn ruefully to Poe, who was relaxing against the pillows. ‘You’re not an easy man to pin down.’ He glanced at the machines surrounding the bed. ‘I mean, it is a bit ridiculous when you have to get shot to have some time off. And even then, you’re not really having any time off.’  
‘I know, I know,’ Poe sighed, looking sadly at the pile of data-pads that he still had to get through. ‘But there’s lots to be done. There’s a government to be set up, justice to be dispensed…’  
‘Finding us somewhere to live,’ said Rose. She had been embarrassed when the medical droids had asked her for an address. She had no idea where she was going to.  
‘Yes, like find you somewhere to live,’ said Poe, realising that there were many practical details that he assumed some one else would have thought about. ‘Where are you at the moment?’  
‘We’re camping out in the Senate building,’ explained Finn, ‘Rose, me, Jannah. Well, everyone really.’  
‘Get me my communicator,’ he said to Finn, pointing over to where it sat on a nearby sideboard. ‘I can’t have the heroes of the war against the First Order camped out in the Senate!’  
‘It’s not an issue really.’ Finn complied but he wasn’t sure that finding him and Rose somewhere to live was the most important thing to do. ‘Actually it’s quite fun. There’s far more pressing issues…’  
‘Like what?’ asked Poe, looking up from typing in the relevant code to reach Connix.  
‘Star systems are already complaining that the government’s made up of Resistance members.’  
‘Really?’ Poe shrugged. ‘They’re gonna have to complain for a bit,’ he said breezily, ‘there’s nothing we can do for the time being. The Republic’s gone… and we’re all that’s left of it.’  
‘We are aren’t we,’ said Rose sadly, twisting her fingers together. It hadn’t really hit home until Poe had said it so bluntly.  
‘Come on,’ said Finn to Rose, getting up from the bed, much to Poe’s dismay. ‘Let’s leave the General to get on with fixing the galaxy.’  
‘You don’t have to go,’ said Poe, reaching out for Finn’s hand. ‘I’ll get bored.’  
‘We’ll come back once Rose has been discharged,’ said Finn, leaning forward and kissing Poe softly on the forehead. ‘Hopefully by then you’ll have found us somewhere to live.’  
‘That’s a deal,’ agreed Poe, smiling happily.


	58. Going home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey fixes Luke's old X-Wing after taking it out of the ocean, Luke keeping her company. Before she leaves the island, she makes one last visit to the mirror cave where she finds out what happened to Ben.

Running to the edge of the cliff, Rey looked down to where the X-wing lay submerged in the ocean, waves gently lapping its rusting metal panels. Heaving a deep sigh to calm herself, she closed her eyes and reached out her hand.  
‘Are you sure you want to do that?’ asked a familiar voice from behind her.  
‘Yes.’ Rey kept her eyes closed, recognising Luke. ‘I need a way to get off this island.’  
‘It’s been in the ocean a long time,’ Luke pointed out, ‘there’s a panel missing…’  
‘You’re talking to a scavenger.’ Rey finally opened her eyes, and turned to Luke. ‘I can fix it.’  
‘Of course,’ said Luke, relishing her confidence. He was proud of her of making it this far, trying to find a solution, although he could also sense her sadness. ‘You defeated the Shadow…’  
‘But at a price,’ Rey said softly, looking away. In the sky, two porgs were flying around each other, enjoying the sun.  
Luke nodded. ‘I would have preferred you not to use the knife. But… it is, what it is.’  
Rey smiled faintly, ‘It seemed a good idea at the time.’  
‘Let’s get this ship up.’ Luke came over to where she was standing, ‘Then we’ll have a chat about what happened.’  
‘I’d like that.’ For a moment, she stood still, looking down at the ship. Wondering if she could really lift it with only the power of her mind.  
‘What’s the problem?’ asked Luke, seeing her hesitation.  
‘I don’t know if I can…’  
Luke snorted. ‘Come on, we haven’t got all day.’  
‘We haven’t?’ Rey felt confused, wondering why she was suddenly working to a deadline. But Luke only smiled.  
Closing her eyes, she concentrated, letting her thoughts flow free within the Force around the X-Wing. Slowly, she raised her hand, imagining the dimensions of the ship, breaking it free of the sand and the silt that had built up around it. Pulling it out of the water. As her palm pulled upwards she felt something dragging against it. Focusing harder she grasped the feeling, lifting the reluctant metal, forcing it upwards and towards land. Turning, she imagined the ship following her hand, moving through the air to a flat piece of land in front of her. When she opened her eyes, there it was. The X-Wing, rusted and damaged. But a ship nonetheless.  
‘It was a shame you burnt that other ship,’ commented Luke, his expression noncommittal. ‘It took the Caretakers weeks to dispose of it.’  
A wave of guilt washed over her. ‘What did they do with the remains?’  
‘They tidied them away,’ said Luke, walking around his former ship, a curious glint in his eye. ‘Like they always do.’  
Later on, when she had found the buried remains of the burnt X-Wing and rummaged through the leftover parts for anything that would be useful, she sat next to a roaring fire, enjoying the final vestiges of the warm evening as the suns sunk low beneath the horizon. Luke was there too, pretending to warm his hands against the flames.   
‘Can you feel that?’ asked Rey, her mouth full of roasted fish.  
‘Almost,’ said Luke, ‘but it takes a good deal of imagination.’ For a moment he looked into the flames, thinking. ‘Are you going to tell me what’s happened to Ben?’  
Rey felt her spirits deflate. She told Luke about the Shadow and in the mirror cave when she had woken up on Ahch-To. ‘I think he’s alive. At least, I hope so.’  
‘Don’t worry, Ben’s a fighter.’ Luke smiled at her fondly, ‘Leia knew that before he was even born. He was always on the move, never still.’ He looked at her meaningfully, ‘Just like you.’  
‘I could feel him with me,’ murmured Rey, more to herself. ‘He was here too, only…’ she trailed off, not sure of her point.  
‘It seems the cave here is a transportative vergence…’  
‘A what?’ Rey almost choked on her mouthful of bread, and started coughing.  
‘Try chewing your food more before you swallow it,’ Luke advised her. Not knowing whether it was acceptable to pat her on the back, he waited until she had calmed down before continuing. ‘It’s a portal, between the different dimensions of time and space. It’s how us Force Ghosts can return to the land of the living.’  
‘A portal?’ Rey remembered her experiences after they had left Exegol, jumping through time and space. ‘There must have been one on Exegol too.’  
Luke nodded. ‘There’s lots of them, and they’re not always easy to find. But my point is, you could use them to find Ben.’  
‘I could?’   
‘Yes. If you want to…’  
‘I do.’ Ever since Ben had returned to the light, she had hardly been without him. After all they had shared, it seemed strange not to have his presence around her. It felt as if a part of her was missing. A sometimes confusing, melancholy and chaotic part but a part nonetheless. ‘I love him,’ she added softly, wanting Luke to know how much Ben meant to her.  
‘He is very loveable,’ agreed Luke, pleased that Rey had finally found the belonging she sought, not only with her friends, but with Ben too. ‘And now he’s on the right path. The path he always should have taken.’ Standing up, he gestured for Rey to follow him, ‘I’ve got something you might need.’  
Wrapped in a blanket, Rey was reluctant to leave the fire. ‘Where are we going?’  
‘You’ll see,’ Luke was already striding away across the grass, very nimbly for a Force Ghost. ‘Oh, you might want to bring a light,’ he called back to her.  
They ended up at Luke’s hut. Rey followed him into the now door-less building, holding her burning branch up high to see inside.  
‘Over there,’ said Luke to her as she made her way inside, pointing to the small recess in the wall. ‘Take the compass.’  
Going over to it, her eyes lingered on a small, round metallic object. Opening it up, she saw a blue lodestone inside, the light of the flames catching the many different colours inside it. ‘It’s beautiful.’  
‘I used this to find Ahch-To,’ explained Luke, ‘but it’s attuned to many different points in hyperspace. It might help you to find other portals.’  
‘It might.’ She shivered, away from the fire the cold made her feel dispirited. She sighed deeply, ‘But I don’t even know where to start looking.’  
‘That’s not like you,’ frowned Luke, as she closed the compass.  
‘No, it’s like Ben.’ She managed a smile. Perhaps he was a part of her, more than she realised. ‘Thank you.’  
‘We need to get you back to your friends,’ smiled Luke, looking at the compass in her hands. Once it had been part of his adventure, now it was Rey’s turn. As they walked back to the fire, he told her that, ’Ben used to like looking at this compass too, imagining where he would go after his training.’  
‘Now he’s free to go wherever he wants,’ said Rey, with tears in her eyes. But it was not from sadness, more from relief, and a strange happiness that even if it was not her destiny to see Ben again, at least she knew that he would be free of the darkness that had consumed him for so long.

For the next few days, Rey worked solidly on the X-Wing, with Luke keeping her company. As she fitted new parts and replaced rusted wiring, he told her stories about the time he trained with Yoda, his first meeting with Han Solo in Mos Eisley, and rescuing Leia from the Death Star. He told her stories about training with Ben, of his other students, including Tai. She learned about his last moments with his father, the sad, broken man beneath the monstrous mask. In return, she told him stories of her life on Jakku, what she had learned about her parents, and what she and Ben had discovered on Exegol.  
‘I like the sound of this Kyp,’ said Luke when she had finished telling him about their escape from the Overseers, ‘she kept believing despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.’  
Rey nodded, ‘I only hope that the Resistance have managed to defeat the First Order.’  
‘But you destroyed the Shadow…’ began Luke.  
‘Me and Ben,’ Rey clarified.  
‘You and Ben destroyed the Shadow,’ repeated Luke, a wry smile on his face, ‘you restored the balance in the Force. That’s got to count for something.’  
At night, her dreams were filled with memories and visions, reminders of where she had been, and where she was yet to go. Some of her impressions seemed to come from the perspective of someone else, someone in turmoil, their thoughts punctuated by despair as well as hope. She never directly dreamed about Ben but sometimes she heard his voice, the same voice she had once heard on Jakku, I’ll come back for you, sweetheart, I promise…  
By the fourth day, she stuck her head out of the cockpit and said triumphantly to Luke, ‘Finished!’  
‘Well done,’ Luke clapped appreciatively. The ship was still as rusty as hell but at least it might get back up into the air following her modifications. Their relationship had also got onto a much better footing, repairing the wounds that had opened up around Luke’s initial reluctance to train her, and the circumstances of Ben’s fall. He had been impressed to discover that she had been thinking about how there could be a new approach to the idea of what it meant to be a Jedi. That incorporated a better understanding of, but did not venerate, the darkness as well as the light. That accepted emotion, all emotion, was part of life, rather than shunning it. He was proud that Rey was learning from the mistakes of the past, but also using her own experiences of the Force to take the Jedi Order into a potential new future. Like he had tried to do before Snoke’s machinations had derailed him.  
‘You know we’ll all help you,’ he said, meaning the Jedi spirits.  
‘I do,’ Rey nodded, smiling happily.  
That afternoon, Rey packed the ship with her meagre belongings. The sky had turned grey, and rain threatened. She felt nervous now that it was time to leave, as through the island was urging her to stay. For one last time she headed down to the mirror cave, climbing down into its depths and heading over to the reflective wall. She thought about what Luke had told her and she placed her hand on the mirror. ‘Ben,’ she whispered, and reached out with the Force.

All at once she was somewhere else. She was running across wasteland, her heart pounding and her lungs straining. She had been running for a long time and was starting to feel tired, but she had to keep going. It was dark overhead but in front of her, she could see the faint outlines of buildings in the distance. That was where she was headed, to one building in particular, where she knew she would be safe.  
Suddenly, bright lights swooped low, the ground exploding behind her as it was pummelled by lasers. But she was ready - grabbing her lightsaber from her belt, she deflected another round of laser as it flew towards her, sending it back up towards the light. Knowing it had made contact, she changed direction, leaping forwards as another bright beam of light came flying towards her, diving to the ground just in time as it flew overhead. Grabbing her blaster with her left hand, she shot at someone in the shadows, hearing a shout as they hit the ground. Desperation was kicking in, but with it, more adrenaline. Jumping up, she kept on towards the buildings, anticipating danger. There was another explosion to the left, and she changed course again, weaving away as the speeder dived low, only to turn and shoot at it, satisfied as it hit the ground in a bright flash of light and heat. Fifty more yards to go. In the shadows, she could sense someone was lifting their weapon. Taking aim, she fired, seeing them fall to the ground. From behind her, she could hear the whine of an engine, the ground ripped up by laser as the last vehicle honed in on her. Holding onto her lightsaber tightly, she turned and leapt high into the air, somersaulting over it and landing deftly on the back of the vehicle. Thinking quickly, she sliced into the stabilisers with her lightsaber, shifting her balance as it sped onwards. Immediately the speeder started to pitch and roll, losing altitude quickly. Slipping on the chassis, she jumped off just in time as the pilot, unable to correct its course, smashed the speeder into the side of a low building, the vehicle bursting into flames with the abruptness of the impact.   
Panting, she watched as the explosion lit up the night sky, fragments of speeder raining back down onto the ground around her. It was over. Replacing her lightsaber and blaster on her belt, she got to her feet, aching from the fall. Limping slightly, she made her way as quickly as she could to another of the buildings, an abandoned warehouse. There it was. Her ship. Relief flooded through her. They had not thought to destroy it and she could use it to escape. Ignoring the pain in her leg, she ran over and climbed up to the entrance hatch, entering the code. With a hiss, the hydraulic system kicked into gear and the hatch opened. Feeling calm, she climbed inside and sat down in the pilot’s chair.

With a gasp, Rey came too. She was back beside the mirror, back inside her own head. What had she seen? Was it Ben escaping from Exegol, foiling the attempts of the Overseers to capture him? That’s what it seemed to be. Immediately she felt better. All she needed to know was that he was out there somewhere, alive. It gave her hope.  
Turning round to leave, she saw a faint light flickering on the ground. Stooping down, she saw it was her beacon. It must have fallen off her wrist when she returned to the island. Picking it up, she fastened it to her wrist and climbed back out of the cave.  
It was still raining when she made her final checks on the X-Wing. Luke had directed her to where the helmet was stowed away in one of the large chests in his hut, and now she was sat in the pilot’s seat, the hum of the engine building up as she started the sequence for take-off. Luke’s compass sat on the console, but she had no idea where she was headed. She remembered that Poe and Finn were leading an assault on Coruscant, and Lando was doing the same on Naboo, but she did not want to stumble into an occupied city. Her first port of call would need to be somewhere she could find out the news, what had been happening whilst she had been away. As the ship rose into the air, she bid a last farewell to the rain-soaked, wind-swept island, wondering if she would ever see it again.


	59. Three droids in Coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Threepio is tasked with an important job by Poe, which he manages to mess up. A light-hearted end to the story.
> 
> Continued in part 2 of my sort-of trilogy - 'A New Purpose'

‘Here you go, Threepio.’ Against his better judgement, Poe handed the data-stick carefully to the droid, who until recently had been fussing around his bed, tidying up his pillows and making sure that his bacta sleeve was still on correctly. Although Poe had told him that the medical droids were very good at their job, Threepio had insisted on helping too. The other two droids, BB8 and Artoo, had been much less involved, looking around the room with interest but keeping out of the way when necessary. As a droid should do.  
‘Thank you, General Dameron,’ said the droid importantly, glad that the Resistance leader still had use for him. He took the data-stick eagerly.  
‘You’re to take that to Connix. Only Connix. No one else.’  
‘Of course, General Dameron. I shall most certainly deliver it to Lieutenant Connix and no-one else. We’ll make sure of that, won’t we BB8?’  
Down on the floor, BB8 bleeped a straightforward reply, certain that it would be a relatively simple task.  
‘Good.’ Poe leaned back on his pillows, surprised to find that Threepio had plumped them up very nicely. Perhaps he did have his uses. ‘I’ll be checking up on you, to make sure.’  
‘Come on you two,’ said Threepio, ‘Let’s leave the General to his rest.’ Now that Leia had gone, his ownership was in doubt again, and Threepio was determined to be on his best behaviour around the Resistance leader, just in case he could find a use for him in the newly established government. Technically, he knew that he should seek out his proper master who, in all fairness, should by rights be Ben Solo, the only last surviving member of the Skywalker family. But despite extensive efforts, Threepio was no more able to establish what had happened to Master Solo than Poe or Finn had. He had thought about asking Rey, now that she had returned to Coruscant, since she had been the last person to see Ben. But Poe had warned him against it, saying that Rey needed time for rest and recuperation, not to be worried with trivial questions. The matter of ownership was not trivial to Threepio, but he had wisely kept his opinions to himself, having learnt that General Dameron liked to hear his opinions about as much as Captain Solo had. Which, was to say, not much at all.  
‘See you later,’ Poe called out from the bed as the trio of droids left the room, BB8 bleeping a final message of support to his master, ‘You too!’ Poe called back. ‘Oh, and remind Finn that he needs to send me an update on the situation in Cato Nemodia.’  
Leaving the medical centre, Threepio, BB8 and Artoo Detoo started the longish walk back to the Senate building. No one had thought to send a speeder to pick them up, and none of them had any credits to try and hail one from the skyways. And as Threepio reminded both of them, who heard of a droid trying to hail a speeder! It seemed a remarkably silly idea. Instead, they could walk, wheel and glide themselves back to the Senate. It was easier said than done; to Threepio’s dismay, the streets were thronged with hundreds of citizens going about their business (he was too concerned about the data-stick to calculate the precise amount), weaving their way in and around each other, barely taking notice of the triumvirate in their midst.  
For his part, Threepio was studiously avoiding the conversation between Artoo and BB8, which had descended into general gossip about what had been going on since the Resistance had taken over the reins of government. It was not in Threepio’s programming to gossip and instead he looked about him, marvelling at the architectural details in the surrounding buildings. It had been a long time since Threepio had been on Coruscant, and he was not completely familiar with its layout.  
‘Threepio? Is that you?’  
Focusing on the owner of the voice, Threepio searched through the millions of data traces in his memory banks until he recognised the two humans approaching him. It took less than a nanosecond for him to realise it was Wedge Antilles and his stepson, Snap Wexley. ‘It is General Antilles, how good it is to see you again.’  
‘Likewise,’ Wedge looked at him brightly. ‘I’ve come to see what’s happening here, I bet you know more about that than anyone else.’  
Beside them, Artoo bleeped rudely, which led to sniggers from BB8.  
‘Be quiet, you two,’ cautioned Threepio, embarrassed for his kind. ‘I am sorry, General Antilles, these two think that your question is moot considering how little attention I pay to the gossip that they so readily lap up. But it’s good to be discerning I think. These two will trust anything, even the cleaning droids in the medical centre and they are notorious for getting things wrong.’  
‘I wouldn’t know,’ admitted Wedge, looking at Snap with some amusement. ‘But thank you for warning me. We’re just on our way there now.’  
‘To see Poe,’ said Snap helpfully, anticipating Threepio’s next question.  
‘A most excellent destination,’ agreed Threepio. ‘Between you and me, the General is getting rather bored in the medical centre. He is doing as much as he can, but he is keen to get back into the thick of things.’ When BB8 bleeped his own explanation of Poe’s feelings on the matter, Threepio nodded readily. ‘Yes, my little friend, he would be very pleased to have company. It must be very lonely in there for someone of General Dameron’s disposition and attachment to his friends.’  
‘Then we better get going to see him,’ said Wedge, knowing that Threepio liked to keep talking and he didn’t want to miss visiting hours. ‘I’m sure we’ll see you around some time.’  
‘Of course, General Antilles, I would like that.’  
‘See you, Threepio,’ said Snap in his friendly manner, ‘and you too, Artoo.’ When BB8 bleeped at him in annoyance, ‘Yeah sorry, you too BB8.’  
Pleasantries over, the droids continued towards Monument Plaza. There, they took a moment to look at the work that was being done to bring the plaza back into reasonable service. Most of the rubble and the mess from the conflict had been cleaned up now, and there was scaffolding all over the remains of the buildings, where teams of builders from all over the galaxy were working together to bring them back to their former glory. In the distance, the Senate building too was covered in scaffolding and huge sheets of thin plasteel, hiding the work that was going on to repair its facade, as well as inside the building. Restoring the many years of neglect that the First Order had only just started to reverse. It really did bring a globule of grease to Threepio’s eye when he thought about the wonder of inter-galactic co-operation at such a time.  
‘Yes, it is sad to see everything in such a state,’ replied Threepio to Artoo’s burbled comment, ‘and it will take a lot of time before it starts to look normal again. But the humans know what they are doing, I think.’  
Artoo quickly corrected him.  
‘Of course I know that it’s not only humans involved in the interim government,’ said Threepio dismissively.  
Artoo bleeped again, this time joined by BB8.  
‘I know, but I was thinking of Generals Dameron and Danu, mostly,’ argued Threepio, not wishing to get into detailed discussions about the make-up of the interim government. ‘Those two are in charge for the time being, and they both happen to be human. That’s what I meant by my statement.’  
Satisfied, Artoo and BB8 started to roll slowly towards the Senate building, allowing for Threepio’s characteristically slow and stiff shuffling walk. Outside the entrance they bumped into Rose and Jannah, who were inspecting the outside of the building, wearing, to Threepio’s surprise, some rather bizarre hats on their heads. Presumably to keep them safe when around building works.  
‘Threepio,’ said Rose warmly as soon as she saw the droid. ‘Have you just come back from seeing Poe?’  
‘We have, Mistress Rose,’ said Threepio conversationally. ‘We’ve walked all the way from the medical centre, which has delayed our journey somewhat but it was good to see how the city is recovering in our time of peace.’  
‘How is he?’  
‘General Dameron? As you may suspect, he is doing well and the droids think that he might be out in a couple more weeks, if his shoulder continues on its current trajectory of reaching peak condition.’  
Rose and Jannah sniggered, only Threepio could make a big deal about a simple reply. ‘Good, we need him to have a look at these new plans for the Senate.’ Rose showed Threepio the data-pad, which had the architect’s schematics for the new frontage displayed on it.  
‘Goodness, that looks very ambitious,’ said Threepio, marvelling at the details that had been worked into the new facade.  
‘And very expensive,’ nodded Jannah, switching the diagram back to its two-dimensional aspects.  
‘Did you see Rey whilst you were at the medical centre?’ Rose asked Threepio, hoping for some news of their friend.  
‘Not yet,’ replied Threepio mournfully. ‘The medical droids are not allowing anyone to see her at the moment, except for General Danu I believe. Her condition is too fragile for the time being.’  
‘That’s to be expected,’ agreed Rose, who was desperate to go and see their friend. Rey’s ship had turned up the day before, completely out of the blue. It was fortunate that Rey had been able to patch together the old X-Wing she turned up in, for the fleet was still on Exegol, making sure that the Overseers would not launch an attack with their Star Destroyers. Finn had been there to meet Rey initially, but he hadn’t had a chance to tell her and Jannah much about what had happened to their friend. From what Rose could piece together, Rey had been fine one minute, then had almost collapsed the next, worn out by her exertions on Exegol and her separation from Ben. ‘Poor thing has been through the mill.’  
Threepio was not conversant with that exact phrase, which he assumed must be a slang term colloquial to Rose’s home planet. But he understood it was not to be taken literally. ‘Well, we must be heading inside now. We have something important to deliver to Lieutenant Connix only.’  
‘From Poe? She’s with Finn in the office at the moment.’ Jannah knew that Threepio would understand what she meant by ‘the office,’ it was their shorthand for the former Chancellor’s office, which was still very much the focus of their makeshift operation.  
Bidding them both goodbye, Threepio went with Artoo and BB8 through the entrance doors, which were currently being propped open temporarily until the mechanism could be properly mended, and headed across the empty, echoing reception area towards the elevators. At the moment, the Senate building was out of bounds to most citizens, except for the Resistance leaders and, of course, the three droids. They had special access privileges that were reserved only for the most significant members of the government, which of course had inflated Threepio’s sense of importance even further.  
They were almost at the right floor when Threepio realised to his horror that he had mislaid the data-stick that General Dameron tasked him with delivering to Lieutenant Connix. He had been speaking to BB8 about it, waving the relevant hand in which he had been holding it, only for BB8 to point out that his hand was empty. Threepio had initially scoffed at him, before using his visual receptors to check. It was then that he realised that his hand sensors must be faulty because there was no sign of the data-stick.  
Immediately, Threepio was mortified. ‘Goodness,’ he said mournfully, ‘we could have lost it anywhere on that long walk.’  
Artoo bleeped angrily that there was no ‘we’; it had been Threepio’s task to look after the data-stick, and he was the sole droid responsible for losing it.  
As the elevator reached their floor, Threepio shuffled out, feeling wretched. ‘We’re going to have to go back and re-trace our steps,’ insisted the droid, much to BB8 and Artoo’s disagreement. Reaching over, Threepio pressed the button to open the elevator doors again. ‘I must insist that you come with me,’ he argued with the two reluctant droids, ‘three sets of sensors are better than one.’ When BB8 bleeped again, Threepio had almost had it with him. ‘Look, General Dameron tasked the three of us with this vital information. It was just as much your responsibility to remember what I did with that data-stick than it was for me to hold it!’  
When Artoo argued to the contrary, Threepio kicked him angrily. ‘After all the years we’ve spent together, I can’t believe you would say that!’  
Artoo bleeped that he couldn’t care less for his feelings.  
‘Then check through your memory banks, you stupid lump,’ went on Threepio, his annoyance at himself for losing the data-stick transferred to his interactions with his counterpart. ‘If you check through maybe you can help discern…’  
Artoo interrupted, telling him to check his own memory banks before he went blaming other, innocent droids.  
‘I will,’ said Threepio snottily. ‘Let’s see… General Dameron handed me the data-stick for safe-keeping. I took it in my right hand, which must be where the faulty sensors are. I shall have to get that checked out as soon as possible. Then we left the General’s room… we went into the elevator where I placed the data-stick inside BB8 for safe keeping.’  
Both droids turned to BB8, who bleeped innocently.  
‘All I had to do was ask?’ Threepio was almost apoplectic with data-induced rage. ‘Give it here, you useless rolling ball.’  
As BB8 opened up his insides to reveal the data-stick nestled safely inside, Artoo felt the need to come to his friend’s defence.  
Picking up the data-stick, Threepio huffed, ‘I’m going senile? I don’t think so. There’s plenty of years left in my processors yet.’ When Artoo questioned the wisdom of his statement, Threepio began to feel worried, trailing after his friend as they hurried to the Chancellor’s office with the now, found, data-stick. ‘What? Droids can become senile? I’ve never heard of that.’  
Artoo bleeped that of course they can - didn’t Threepio remember that awful droid on Cato Nemodia?  
‘That wasn’t senility,’ insisted Threepio, wishing that they could forget the entire thing had happened, but of course droids had far too good a memory for that. He would never live it down. ‘His central processor unit was compromised… No it was not the same thing. Anyway, enough of this chat, we have to deliver this data-stick before we run into any more distractions.’  
BB8 bleeped that he should get his hand seen to immediately, just in case there was significant damage.  
‘Of course I won’t,’ sighed the poor golden droid, feeling beset from all sides. ‘I’ll go as soon as I’ve delivered this.’  
It was a relief for Threepio when they finally made it to the former Chancellor’s office, where they found Connix located in the centre of the room chatting with Commander D’Arcy. Threepio delivered the data-stick, making it look as if it had been all his careful planning that had kept it safe. But Artoo and BB8 didn’t mind, they were used to Threepio inflating events to make it look like he had been responsible. And the humans that knew Threepio were aware of it too.  
‘Thank you, Threepio,’ said Connix, gratefully accepting the data-stick. ‘Are you sticking around for a bit? I could do with your help on a matter of intelligence.’  
It was all Threepio needed to hear and he felt a warm sense of appreciation flood through his circuits. ‘Of course, Lieutenant Connix. I’d be most happy to help you in any way that I can.’  
Artoo and BB8 sniggered at his sycophancy but they understood the motivation. All droids wanted was to be needed.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm forever grateful to George Lucas for writing and creating Star Wars and to Disney for continuing the story. I've borrowed their characters and locations for my own purposes but added my own where possible.
> 
> This is Part 1 of a sort-of trilogy - the next Part is called 'A New Purpose.'


End file.
